Opinion | Indian Democracy Suffers for a Lack of a Competent Opposition

On paper, Mr. Gandhi resigned as celebration president in 2019 after main Congress to its second straight nationwide electoral drubbing by the hands of

Narendra Modi’s

Bharatiya Janata Social gathering, however in follow he stays the celebration’s most seen face and star campaigner. The celebration seems to be in no hurry to decide on a brand new president. Mr. Gandhi’s mom,

Sonia Gandhi,

has served as interim president for the previous three years.

Since Mr. Gandhi stepped up as Congress’s vp on the finish of 2013, the celebration’s affect has declined precipitously. 9 years in the past, Congress managed 206 of 543 seats within the straight elected decrease home of Parliament. It now controls solely 53. Congress chief ministers—the Indian equal of governors—helm solely two of India’s 28 states, which collectively account for a mere 6.7% of the nation’s gross home product and seven.8% of its inhabitants.

In March, the celebration underscored its disarray by shedding elections for chief minister in all 5 states which have voted this 12 months. Within the northern state of Punjab, it misplaced energy to the upstart anticorruption Aam Aadmi Social gathering. Humiliatingly, Congress got here fifth in vote share in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.

Lately, Congress has misplaced a number of seasoned and impressive celebration leaders to the BJP. Fundraising has additionally dried up. In fiscal 12 months 2019-20, for instance, Congress acquired solely an estimated 9.2% of electoral bonds, that are an essential supply of political donations in India. In contrast, the BJP acquired 74% of the bonds, the equal of about $350 million on the time.

But Rahul Gandhi has been in a position to cling to energy, largely as a result of dynastic management has been the celebration norm for greater than 50 years. Its members lack the unity or self esteem to agree upon an alternate chief from exterior the Nehru-Gandhi household. That is akin to the Democratic Social gathering declaring everlasting fealty to the Clintons, or the Republicans deciding that they might solely be led by a Bush, by no means thoughts what voters assume.

Indian democracy has suffered for its lack of an efficient opposition celebration. The BJP has run the nation for eight years and is on monitor to safe a 3rd successive time period, cementing Hindu nationalism as India’s ruling ideology. “It will take one thing miraculous for Congress to show the tide and cease the BJP in 2024,” says election strategist

Prashant Kishor

in a cellphone interview from Patna. Earlier this 12 months, Mr. Kishor thought-about becoming a member of Congress to assist flip it round earlier than deciding in opposition to it. He cited the celebration’s lack of “management and collective will” to repair “deep-rooted structural issues.”

Issues weren’t all the time this bleak for Congress. When the British left in 1947,

Jawaharlal Nehru,

Mr. Gandhi’s nice grandfather, grew to become prime minister. (The household will not be associated to the independence motion chief Mahatma Gandhi.) From the late Nineteen Sixties onward, the celebration morphed right into a household agency whose leaders all pledged loyalty to a member of the Nehru-Gandhi clan—Indira Gandhi (1917-84), her son

Rajiv Gandhi

(1944-1991), his widow Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi and his sister

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,

who is a celebration normal secretary. Like Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi additionally served as prime minister.

Congress’s maintain on Indian politics was already weakening by the ’80s, however it remained a viable contender for energy. Together with coalition companions, Congress dominated India for 15 of the final 31 years, most just lately between 2004-2014. Solely on Mr. Gandhi’s watch as vp and president did the celebration decline to the purpose of irrelevance. He seems unable to gauge the general public temper and has proved himself to be a poor decide of character. Many political observers have criticized the Nehru-Gandhi scion’s fondness for overseas holidays, uninspiring oratory and tendency to make verbal gaffes. Over time, the BJP has efficiently—although maybe unfairly—created a picture of Mr. Gandhi as an entitled dimwit, the punchline in numerous WhatsApp jokes.

A practical political celebration would have discovered learn how to minimize its losses and select a brand new chief. As a substitute, Congress stays in limbo and Mr. Gandhi in delusion. He seems unable to understand that the BJP’s Mr. Modi is a extremely expert and standard politician. India Right now’s most up-to-date ballot on the topic discovered that 52.5% of Indians wish to see Mr. Modi as prime minister, in contrast with 6.8% who most popular Mr. Gandhi.

Somewhat than making an attempt to make himself or his celebration extra interesting, Mr. Gandhi blames everybody else. At a current public occasion at Cambridge College in England, Mr. Gandhi complained that Congress hasn’t been given a stage taking part in subject, pointing to compromised establishments, such because the judiciary, which he says isn’t impartial, and a biased media. There could also be some reality to those allegations, however it doesn’t change Mr. Gandhi’s want to handle his personal failures.

Mr. Kishor says solely a radical overhaul can save the celebration. “There isn’t a scope for incremental enchancment,” he says. “It’s like your leg is damaged. Both you’ll heal and begin strolling once more, otherwise you’re going to stay sitting on the highway.”