Rahul Gandhi's negative campaigning didn't work: Senior Congress leaders
From 2014 to 2019, Congress managed to add just 8 seats to its Lok Sabha tally. In last parliamentary polls, Congress won 44 seats and after five years of campaigning, it managed to win 52 seats. The humiliating defeat of the grand old party has raised obvious questions about the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. And now senior Congress leaders have given their opinions.
A couple of senior Congress leaders told Indian Express, that Rahul's negative campaign, framed around "Chowkidar Chor Hai" worked against the party. The party should have also been more sensitive towards Pulwama attack and Balakot airstrikes which followed, the leaders said. One former Chief Minister went as far as saying that the party's revival under Rahul would be extremely difficult.
"Because now a huge antipathy has been developed towards this whole entitlement politics. Because I belong to a family, I can be a leader, my sister can be leader...you must accept that all. That people, especially younger generation, is not accepting," the former CM said.
Another former Union Minister said the casual remarks which leaders passed benefited BJP. To recall, senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda questioned Balakot strikes and said one shouldn't "jump" onto an entire nation due to actions of a few. After the irresponsible comments, the party should have done damage control, the leader opined. Another leader said people voted for PM Modi and not candidates.
Another former Chief Minister said Rahul kept "himself above party". The decision to make sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the general secretary also backfired. "How can you anoint Priyanka as party General Secretary one fine day when many workers are tirelessly working for the party for years without any organizational position," the leader asked. Meanwhile, AICC secretary Manickam Tagore said Rahul should have been declared Prime Ministerial candidate.
"Right from hugging the Prime Minister in Parliament to his hesitation about contesting in Wayanad or even the confusion regarding fielding Priyanka in Varanasi reflected poorly on his decision-making," another leader added.
In fact, NYAY scheme also spelled troubles for the party, said a former CM. "A scheme like NYAY requires that it be professionally communicated to the poor in very simple terms... at many places, the poor thought NYAY had something to do with legal justice," the leader added. Separately, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said Congress can't show itself as an anti-Hindu party.
"People have gone for issues, certain principles. Now Modi has changed the whole tactics. He is not going for the main issues. He plays the sentiment card much more...emotionally he wants to win over the people," Gogoi went on.
Congress needs more than introspection after being completely wiped out. For the same purpose, 52 members of CWC are meeting today to discuss the embarrassing performance. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh are attending the meeting. Priyanka and Rahul are also a part of it.
