Indian National Congress: What can save the political future of the grand old party

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Abstract

This paper analyses the political future of the Indian National Congress (INC). The abysmal performance in elections at various levels shows that the INC, the grand old party, is losing its grip among the masses. Even in the ideological and organizational context the INC is facing problems in some form or other. Recently a group of 23 dissenting leaders wrote a letter to interim president Sonia Gandhi and questioning the party’s functioning. We aim to analyse, compare and discuss the Congress’ crucial ideological stands and shifts, as well as the main defects in its electoral strategies for the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019. Although the Congress has managed to win elections in some states, this study suggests that affirmative actions need to be taken so as to reform the party's organizational functioning and improve its electoral performance. Our conclusion is that the Congress needs to revisit its foundational principles and rich political history so as to reconnect with the electorate.