How will Congress convert the success of 99 into a century? Pressure on Rahul increased after the success of Lok Sabha elections

New Delhi: As per the results of Lok Sabha elections 2024, Modi government may have been formed at the center for the third time, but in the true sense, the lottery has been won by Congress. After the results of the election, Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a hero in the country. Rahul Gandhi has won both Wayanad and Rae Bareli seats by a huge margin. Political experts say that for the Congress, which is struggling to save its existence, getting 99 seats is no less than a lifesaver. In this election, the Congress party has performed well and has reached 99 seats from 52 seats. However, Congress could not complete its century. In such a situation, Congress will have to continue the tough struggle for further success.

Gave a blow to BJP and PM Modi

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress has surprised everyone by winning 99 seats. This victory is no less than a lifesaver for the Congress. This victory has proved that the roots of democracy are still strong in Indian politics. Earlier it seemed that even if the Congress wins the elections of some states, its return to national politics is difficult. Congress looked weak in front of the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But the results of the Lok Sabha elections have broken this myth. Congress has strengthened its hold not only in the South but also in North India. Congress has made its place even in the areas considered to be the stronghold of BJP.

Rahul will have to stay on tours for some more time

The big question is how will Congress take this victory forward? In the last 10 years, whenever the party got success, it could not move forward. Small victories do not make much difference. If Congress wants to make a comeback in 2029 and form the government by winning 200 seats, then it will have to continue its winning streak. Some figures show that wherever Bharat Jodo Yatra took place, Congress benefited. Overall, it would not be wrong to say that both the Yatras gave Congress an edge in both votes and seats. The Yatras filled enthusiasm among the disappointed party workers.

Focus should be on big campaigns

One or two days of protests are not enough. The party needs long campaigns lasting for weeks and months. This is the only effective way to reach out to the 140 crore diverse people of this vast country, especially when the media does not give you proper coverage. This task cannot be postponed till 2028. The Congress party should always run a national campaign, no matter how it is performing in state elections. Instead of stopping national campaigns during state elections, the national campaign should be considered complementary to the state campaigns. By running a big national campaign every year, no one will say ‘what is Congress doing?’ and will continue to play the role of opposition by connecting with the people. This campaign should ideally be led by Rahul Gandhi, even if it is not as difficult as the first Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gandhi’s participation ensured that everyone in the party gave their best to the Yatra, setting aside factionalism.

Congress should not take state elections lightly

To make the path to victory easy, it is important to win in as many states as possible. The first focus will be on Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and Jharkhand. Congress has performed well in the first two states. It seems that the party can succeed in forming the government in both the states. But, BJP is also not the one to give up. It will try its best to avoid defeat in Maharashtra and Haryana. Therefore, Congress should not think that both the states are in its hands. Too much confidence can lead to mistakes. In Haryana, the party will have to fight the elections unitedly. They will have to prove that Congress is not just a party of Jats. It is very important to end the internal factionalism in the party. Congress will have to ensure through its campaign that anti-Jat votes do not get united.

Congress surprised everyone in Maharashtra

Congress has surprised everyone by becoming the largest party in Maharashtra. With this, Maharashtra Congress may try to put pressure on Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, whose parties have performed well in difficult circumstances. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance should declare its minimum program and Uddhav Thackeray as the chief ministerial candidate. Maharashtra Congress should aim to become the largest party again in the assembly elections.

Congress should seek answer from AAP

In Delhi, the Congress should seek clarity on alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. If the AAP keeps the Congress hanging, the Congress will neither be able to take a full anti-incumbency stance nor go with the alliance. If Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal does not get bail, the Delhi elections of February 2025 will be unpredictable. This situation gives the Delhi Congress a chance to reinvent itself.

Congress showed dominance in Rajasthan

The effect of Ashok Gehlot’s welfare schemes was seen in Rajasthan. The BJP was hoping to get 150 seats, but it could get only about 120 seats in the 2023 assembly elections. The government changes every 5 years in Rajasthan. But if the BJP had got a big victory like Madhya Pradesh, the Congress would not have won 12 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. The lesson from Rajasthan is that one should not think about just one election. Congress should make a strategy keeping in mind the next two-three elections. This is what Congress has to do to maintain its momentum