Can Deliberations at Ahmedabad Lead to Some Course Correction for Congress?

Contrary to popular perceptions, the Congress fancies itself as a pro-Hindu party. When Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, she tried to cultivate the majority community and had accepted an invitation to launch the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's 'Ekatmata Yatra'.

- RASHEED KIDWAI

As the Congress meets at Ahmedabad for its all-India session on April 8 and 9, the grand old party stares at an uncertain future and existential crisis. Prospects of a split, revolt, mutiny or disquiet are real and not without reasons. Since 2014, a series of defeats in Lok Sabha and in most of the assembly polls have shaken Congress' self-belief and faith in ideology.

Take for example Congress handling of the waqf bill. As if the absence of Gandhis from the heated debate was not enough, party ideologue Jairam Ramesh and AICC spokespersons did little to counter the BJP on key issues. Much of the parliamentary debate was left to Gaurav Gogai, Syed Naser Hussain and Imran Pratapgarhi indicating once again that the Congress' socio-economic thinking has been reduced to a near farcical "sab chalta hai" in Sonia-Rahul-Mallikarjun Kharge era.

In May 2022, the Congress was locked in an ideological debate at Udaipur, Rajasthan where the party's in-house 'Chintan Shivir' was held. A section of the party delegates had demanded an outreach programme leading to a sharp north-south divide among the delegates.

On the second day of the camp, that was May 14, 2022 discussions were held on whether the Congress, as part of its revival plan, should conduct a 'religious outreach' programme? Or, should the thrust be on sociocultural and political issues? The delegates from states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar were vocal that the primacy of negating religion should be replaced by 'pro-active' gestures. These delegates suggested that Congress leaders should conduct 'Dahi Handi' contests, place Ganesh idols at Pradesh (state) and district Congress committee offices and celebrate the Navadurga festival in their respective areas of influence.