Withered hand
THE WEEK|May 16, 2021
Assembly poll results show that the Congress is facing an existential crisis and is fast losing national relevance, but the party claims that only it has the national perspective required to hold the country together
SONI MISHRA
Withered hand

The latest round of assembly polls have brought the Congress no reason to cheer. The assessment that the party is in an uncontrolled downward spiral, staring at an existential crisis and fast losing national relevance, has gained further strength.

As West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee single-handedly fought and retained the state, several Congress leaders congratulated her, apparently taking solace in the BJP failing in its mighty gambit. The flip side of the poll outcome in West Bengal, however, was that the Congress failed to win even a single seat, and its vote share plummeted to three per cent.

The Congress failed to wrest back Assam from the BJP and lost Puducherry. The biggest setback for it was in Kerala, where the circumstances favoured the Congress—given the revolving door nature of elections in the state, and where it had made a near clean sweep in the Lok Sabha polls in 2019—and yet it failed. The only bright spot was Tamil Nadu, where the party won 18 of the 25 seats it contested, but it benefited from the pro-DMK sentiment in the state.

Of the 14 assembly polls that have taken place since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has managed to form governments in only three states —Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. But it is a junior partner in these three states. On its own, it is in power only in Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh.

This story is from the May 16, 2021 edition of THE WEEK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 16, 2021 edition of THE WEEK.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE WEEKView All
WHAT IS YOUR SLEEP PATTERN?
THE WEEK India

WHAT IS YOUR SLEEP PATTERN?

YOUR SLEEP PATTERN may influence your risk of chronic diseases.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
VISION PROBLEMS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S
THE WEEK India

VISION PROBLEMS MAY BE AN EARLY SIGN OF ALZHEIMER'S

ACCORDING TO A US STUDY published in The Lancet Neurology, a rare eye condition known as posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) could be the first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease in 10 per cent of patients.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
ANNUAL BREAST CANCER SCREENING BEGINNING AT 40 SAVES LIVES
THE WEEK India

ANNUAL BREAST CANCER SCREENING BEGINNING AT 40 SAVES LIVES

ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS to screen for breast cancer beginning at age 40 and continuing to at least 79 has the highest reduction in mortality with minimal risks, according to a US study published in the journal Radiology.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
SWEETENED DRINKS MAY INCREASE RISK OF AFib
THE WEEK India

SWEETENED DRINKS MAY INCREASE RISK OF AFib

REGULARLY CONSUMING SUGARY or artificially sweetened beverages can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
MOST EFFECTIVE EXERCISES TO TREAT DEPRESSION
THE WEEK India

MOST EFFECTIVE EXERCISES TO TREAT DEPRESSION

A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE BMJ says walking, jogging, yoga, strength training and dancing are the most effective exercises to treat depression, especially when intense.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
LYING TO YOUR KIDS MAY MAKE THEM LIARS
THE WEEK India

LYING TO YOUR KIDS MAY MAKE THEM LIARS

KIDS WHOSE PARENTS LIE to them are more likely to lie to their parents, even if parents tell only innocent white lies, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024
BAD AIR DAZE
THE WEEK India

BAD AIR DAZE

AIR POLLUTION'S EFFECTS GO BEYOND THE LUNGS, IMPACTING FERTILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH, BESIDES YOUR EYES AND SKIN

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 07, 2024
Women and the big C
THE WEEK India

Women and the big C

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in India. Here, we bust common myths, and outline diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies

time-read
10 mins  |
April 07, 2024
Make genome the norm
THE WEEK India

Make genome the norm

For India to meet its target of TB eradication by 2025, it will have to make rapid strides in using whole genome sequencing to its full potential

time-read
7 mins  |
April 07, 2024
ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD LINKED TO 32 MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES
THE WEEK India

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD LINKED TO 32 MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES

Regular consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with an increased risk of 32 major health outcomes, including early death, cancer, mental health disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes and respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.

time-read
1 min  |
April 07, 2024