Loksabha 2019 Elections are over but the impact created by these elections on the nation is yet strong. It was the elections which will be remembered through out history as 21 parties allied with each other to defeat one party BJP led by PM Narendra Modi, but still not able to do so suffered a massive setback. BJP not only won but came up with flying colours securing 303 seats and the age old party Congress got wiped out completely securing only 52 seats. In around 15 states, Congress was completely ducked out.
Why Congress once from being a grand old party failed so badly? What were the mistakes committed by Congress during their campaigning that led to such huge defeat of Congress? Let me throw light at some of the reasons for the failure of Congress
1. Trying to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Modi
This was the biggest mistake created by Congress as by trying to tarnish the honest and hardworking Prime Minister of Country they have hurt the sentiments of the people
2. Arrogance of Congress Party
After winning the assembly elections in the three states Congress President became more arrogant and over-confident and in the process ignored and showed utter disgrace in dealing with alliances. His arrogance costed him dearly especially in Delhi as he could not even stitch an alliance with a party like AAP which do not even have a pan India presence. Whereas PM Modi has always walked step by step with its alliance partners
3. Strategy of the Campaign was not properly framed
Time and again Rahul fell in the trap and could not come out of that. PM Modi never allowed him to build a counter narrative as he was relentless in his approach by demolishing the arguments of Rahul in his own style.
4. NYAY- A biggest blunder
Congress thought people will accept their NYAY scheme but the party terribly lost even in that as he could not articulate it in a clear view and could not communicate well to the masses. Moreover, this idea was outrightly rejected by a certain section of the nation as under the leadership of PM Modi the nation doesn’t want freebies and wants to be self-dependent
5. Entry of Priyanka Vadra
Congress thought it would be a masterstroke and portrayed her as a mirror image of Indira Gandhi. But instead of leading the party to a victory, she brought it more down and paved a way for BJP. In 30 out of 31 constituencies where she campaigned, Congress has lost. Moreover, her last-minute withdrawal from fighting against PM Modi from Varanasi also presented the party in a bad light
6. Choice of Wayanad by Rahul Gandhi
Maybe Congress President is able to secure a safe seat for him from Wayanad but this move of Congress President gave an impression that he is following “appeasement politics” which finally ended in polarizing Hindu voters towards Modi.
7. Infighting within Congress
Internal problems within the Congress is another area which ruined its chances even in area where it was reasonably strong. For example, in MP the internal rift between Kamalnath & Scindia is well known and finally, Scindia was sent to UP to manage the campaign with Priyanka. This finally made things easy for BJP in MP as the absence of a towering leader in a home town will significantly improve its prospects.
8. Failure in keeping promises
Even after winning the states of MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, the Congress didn’t fulfill the promises done with people for which people have voted them and brought to power. The people felt cheated and this caused a great loss to Congress Party in LokSabha elections
9. Last but not the least, absence of powerful leadership
There is not even one person in the entire Congress party who could match the strategic thinking and execution skills of a person of a caliber of Amit Shah. One has to keep in mind that elections are won by votes and votes are won by strategies and nobody can match the master strategist Amit Shah.
Credits: Upendra Roy
Source : Quora
Niharika
