The decay of the Grand Old Party |Opinion

If, as appears doubtless on the time of writing, my buddy Sachin Pilot elements methods with the Congress celebration, it will hardly be a novelty. Starting shortly after Independence, when the venerable Acharya JB Kripalani cut up to type his personal celebration in 1952, the Congress has skilled over 70 such splits. But the extreme decline of the celebration lately has left it incapable of surviving many extra. Contrary to allegations of exterior interference, the celebration’s management has demonstrably been its personal worst enemy.

A widely known definition of madness is doing the identical factor again and again, however anticipating totally different outcomes. As the Congress collapses throughout him, its inheritor obvious continues his unrelenting criticism and disrespect of each single factor that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi says or does.

That technique has been deployed for years now, and all it has achieved is earn its proponent a status for lack of political acumen, and understanding of historical past, and of voters. This perspective that if Modi says or does one thing, it’s inherently unhealthy and have to be opposed in any respect prices is irrational. It can also be now not exhibited by different political opponents of PM and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they usually have a greater current observe report than the Congress.

The most outstanding instance of that’s the Delhi chief minister (CM), Arvind Kejriwal, who deserted his earlier blind opposition to PM a few years in the past after registering that voters didn’t resonate with it, and that it was costing Aam Aadmi Party dearly. Since then, although, after all, he continues to be a bitter political opponent, his stand is far more nuanced, particularly on problems with nationwide safety equivalent to Balakot and the conflict with China.

There are many different political leaders, much more profitable than the Congress scion, who’ve equally adjusted their celebration line. They sensibly keep away from criticising nationwide safety selections, but additionally fastidiously keep away from selecting fights on different subjects the place the Modi authorities is perceived to have carried out properly and earned voter appreciation. The basic instance of that is the now grand previous man of Odisha politics, CM Naveen Patnaik, who, previously six years, has shrewdly prevented clashing with PM on most nationwide points, whereas bitterly opposing the BJP on native points.

The lack after all correction for methods which have repeatedly failed is certainly one of a number of causes for the Congress’ decimation. Frustrated Congress leaders privately say that this obduracy contributed to the celebration’s dismal efficiency within the final yr’s common elections. While it was clear {that a} specific derogatory slogan towards PM was not solely not working, however boomeranging, the then Congress president nonetheless insisted on doubling down on it, even accusing reluctant colleagues of cowardice.

There is an much more elementary cause behind the Congress’ collapse: Any organisation that intentionally suppresses expertise, will eventually pay dearly for it. It is not any secret that my younger buddies now abandoning the Congress have been repeatedly denied their due. Though the excessive command’s final remaining loyalists contest this, claiming that that they had all achieved positions through the years, the actual fact stays that they’re extra in style and succesful than others who proceed to lord over them within the celebration.

Of course, the Congress is just not the one celebration that intentionally suppresses its expertise for feudal causes; it simply has the longest report of this and has suffered essentially the most harm from it. Several regional events that emulated its transition to household fiefdoms are actually exhibiting indicators of the identical atrophy. On the opposite hand, one of many greatest contributors to the BJP’s rise over the a long time is its ingrained tradition of actively nurturing expertise.

There appears to be a feeble try inside the Congress to rectify another longstanding blunders, as with the current commemoration of late PM PV Narasimha Rao’s centenary. But it is just too little, too late. The downplaying of its non-family former leaders has turn into a part of the celebration’s DNA because the 1950s. This tried repair was like making use of a band-aid for stage-Four most cancers.

I’m often confronted by some with the argument, “but a healthy democracy needs a strong opposition”. Some others argue that a very robust opposition extra involved with energy and privilege, moderately than growth and nationwide safety, has much more prices than advantages for the system. Be that as it could, it’s hardly cheap to count on different events to be apathetic to the self-destruction of a previously Grand Old Party. It is however pure that political opponents would attempt to occupy the area thus created.

Neither can or not it’s thought-about the position of a governing celebration to set proper an opposition one collapsing underneath the load of its personal contradictions. That position rightly belongs to civil society. But many in civil society actively colluded with the feudalisation of the Congress. Some did it for the ability, pelf and patronage they obtained. Others simply condoned and tolerated its decay into irrelevance out of a worry of change.

A principled, sturdy Opposition is an asset in a democracy. That can, and needs to be, supported by all stakeholders. But it is not going to come about by making an attempt to convey again to life one thing that died a very long time in the past.

Baijayant “Jay” Panda is the nationwide vice-president, BJP

The views expressed are private