The Congress is happy because Arvind Kejriwal is voted out. But the argument put forward is that Rahul Gandhi has failed to beat Arvind Kejriwal, Narendra Modi has also failed to beat Kejriwal.
So Rahul and Modi are in the same boat.
The argument came from Team Rahul's 'intellectual' colleague Jairam Ramesh -- who also thinks often that he is in the wrong planet !!
But what else he could have said after Congress failed to open account in three consecutive Delhi state assembly polls - 2015, 2020 and 2025.
And then he does --- what his leader Rahul often does ... display 'confidence' !!
In Delhi, Jairam claims Congress "definiely" has a presence and that will be "expanded electorally with the sustained efforts of lakhs of Congress workers".
"There will be a Congress Govt once again in Delhi in 2030.”
He further said in a statement after Delhi polls results came that -- “The Congress was expecting to do better. It has, however, increased its vote share. The campaign of the Congress was vigorous."
Now a few checks ....
It is the sixth time in a row that the Congress has failed to open its account in a Delhi election (Lok Sabha 2014, 2019, 2024) and Vidhan Sabha (2015, 2020, 2025).
An analyst puts it well in 'India Today' :
"That is the depth of the hole it is in. Ramesh’s celebration of an imaginary past humbling of Modi tells us the Congress has no clue of its present station in life."
I had called up a Congressman from north east and he was happy to tell me (even before the voting was done) that :
"The AAP will lose the polls and relevance after Delhi polls". He could be absolutely right too.
The AAP is demoralised today in all other states -- one state is Gujarat.
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| BJP's Gujarat CM : Bhupendra Patel |
In 2022 assembly polls in Narendra Modi's native state, the AAP had won five seats as against 17 by Congress. The BJP of course had won 156 seats.
In terms of vote share, the AAP saw a tremendous swing in its favour 12.82 per cent. It's vote share was 12.92 and the Congress vote share stood at 27.28 per cent.
In 2017, the Congress had given a much better fight and the BJP's strength was brought down below 100. That means AAP harmed the Congress in 2022 polls and hence - it may not be erroneous to suggest that the battle of 2027 in Gujarat could again turn more exciting than expected.
But the Congress has to redraw their strategies.
In the coming months there is state assembly poll in Bihar -- where too the Congress is not a major player and will be forced to play second fiddle to the RJD.
In 2026 there are important polls in important states - Assam and Kerala -- where it can come back to power provided all the cards are played well. In Assam, the Congress rival is the BJP while in Kerala, it has to fight the communists.
There are also polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and in both the states - the Congress organisation is weak. In the Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal, Congress veteran AdhirRanjan Chowdhury was sidelined by his party leadership only.
But there are issues and wheels within wheels. The Congress declines to learn anything anytime.
It is very true Congress does not try to learn any lesson... Many of its senior leaders lack the courage to advise the dynasts to change course. This trend started in early 1970s; climaxed during the Emergency. The ‘slave’ mentality of party leaders continues. This convinces them that they must only sing the song scripted by the dynast. - Ashutosh Dey, Silchar, Assam
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