New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s appeal to the people of Maharashtra posted on X on November 20 when Maharashtra voted in assembly polls, was like this: “Brothers and sisters of Maharashtra, I appeal to all of you to vote today for the protection of the state's dignity and the Constitution. Every vote you cast for the Maha Vikas Aghadi will prevent the theft of your jobs and projects, ensure fair prices for farmers' crops, and bring prosperity to your lives through the 5 guarantees.” But the voters gave him the message. The verdict is clear. His appeal fell flat as is evident from the election results announced on Saturday (November 23).
The poll results presented a contrastingly different picture with the MahaYuti alliance securing a landslide victory over MVA. This marked a huge setback for both Congress and Rahul Gandhi. There is no denying that Rahul’s campaign which focused heavily on caste-based rhetoric and Constitutional assurances also came a cropper. Rahul’s freebies offer also did not elicit any positive response from the public. During the campaign, the Gandhi scion emphasised the need for a caste census across the country. He was often seen waving a copy of the Constitution (a Red Book) to symbolise his commitment to this cause. This turned out to be an exercise in futility even as Congress was handed a crushing defeat.
The grand old party secured just 17 of the 102 seats it contested in Maharashtra. This result dealt a major blow to the Congress which had hoped for a revival after a somewhat successful showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where it secured 99 seats. That the party remains in volatile electoral territory is a clear-cut message that Maharashtra has sent out. One of the key takeaways from this defeat is, many argue, an abject failure of Rahul Gandhi's agenda of the caste census. His promise of breaching the 50 per cent reservation cap has not worked.
The caste calculus that he pushed during the campaign did not meet with the voters’ approval in Maharashtra, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on caste unity, encapsulated in the slogan "Ek hain to safe hain," proved more effective. BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis echoed this sentiment, crediting the alliance’s success to PM Modi’s leadership. Fadnavis posted on X: "Ek hai to safe hai (United we are safe). Modi hai to mumkin hai (Modi makes it possible)." Rahul Gandhi’s strategy of using the caste census as a key plank may have backfired, as is shown by Congress's underwhelming performance in Maharashtra.
The drubbing in Maharashtra, along with Congress's weak showing in Jharkhand, signals that the party’s efforts to regain relevance through caste-based politics may not be yielding the expected results. The implications of Congress's defeat are far-reaching, especially for the INDIA Bloc, where Congress was once a dominant force. The party’s failure in Maharashtra has put its role in the alliance into question, with other constituent parties now likely to assert more influence and possibly challenge Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.
The party’s poor performance is also expected to trigger a reassessment of its strategies moving forward, particularly its focus on caste and constitutional issues. With the upcoming electoral challenge in Delhi, the defeat in Maharashtra and the unimpressive show in Jharkhand cast a shadow over Congress's future prospects. Rahul Gandhi may face increasing pressure from within the party to recalibrate his focus, with senior leaders likely advising him to move away from his current emphasis on caste-based politics.
As Congress prepares for the next stage of electoral battles, the mood within the party is likely to be subdued, as cadres and workers wrestle with the consequences of this significant electoral setback. Rahul Gandhi's campaign in Maharashtra, which focused also on issues like jobs, price rise, freebies, and support for farmers, failed to impress the electorate. Congress’s performance in states under its own governance has been lacklustre, leading to growing doubts among voters. Observers have raised an important question: Why should voters trust the promises of Congress when the party has yet to deliver on similar commitments in the states it governs? In Congress-ruled states, the delivery of promises related to jobs, economic relief, and farmer welfare has been slow or insufficient, which also might have contributed to voter disillusionment.
The party's inability to show tangible results in these areas has made its assurances less convincing. Voters are increasingly questioning the feasibility of new promises when the party has struggled to fulfil past commitments. The disconnect between the promises made by Congress and its performance in office has likely played a crucial role in undermining the effectiveness of Rahul Gandhi's campaign in Maharashtra. The electorate seems to have seen the party's history of underperformance as a warning sign, making them hesitant to place their trust in the party's future pledges.
