The Congress had consistently contested a high number of seats from the years 1961 to 1996 Lok Sabha elections. In the 1951 Lok Sabha elections the Congress contested 479 seats and secured a victory over 364 seats. The highest tally of seats was witnessed in the 1996 elections with the party contesting over 529 seats. However, the Lok Sabha Elections of 2024 paint a different picture with only 330 seats being contested by the party which marks a historic low for the grand old party. The dwindling numbers exhibit a change in the political landscape of the country.
The NewsX exclusive debate over the subject was joined by Savio Rodrigues BJP Leader, Swathi Chandrashekhar congress spokesperson, Mr Piyush Pant Political Analyst, and Joyeeta Basu the editor of The Sunday Guardian.
Swati ChandraShekhar while speaking on the issue shared her thoughts and said, ” This election we are not just acting against one force that is BJP but how collective leadership can do wonders in the country, and this election is going to witness that is the 2024 election with the I.N.D.I Alliance”. She further added, ” The motto of Congress is very clear, we are concentrating on how we can make this country more democratic.” She further argued that seats in the southern and eastern parts of India can play a decisive role in the upcoming elections.
Further, the declining attribute of seats was put into question or can the Congress and its allies still pull off a surprising victory, to which Savio Rodrigues BJP Leader replied, ” Why the Congress is actually in decline is because when the Congress was around jobs created in the formal sector was only 81.3 million, while in the Modi era it is at 266.7 million” he further added that “the loan disbursed to minorities that the congress considers as their stronghold only stood at 2033.35 crores and during the Modi era it stood at 6215.64 crores”. He further added that the number of female minority students had also increased during the Modi era. Savio Rodrigues also pointed out that the lack of leadership in the party is also responsible for its decline.
Elaborating further on the debate Mr Piyush Pant said, ‘ It is evident that the Congress has Lost the sheen that it had earlier, which is evident in the consequent elections whether you take the 2014 or the 2019 elections or state elections”. He also argued that Congress has not paid much attention to reorganizing itself from the grassroots level. However, he argued further that, “ This time certainly the congress is going to increase its seats because a sense of belonging has been created by Rahul Gandhi’s two yatras”.
Speaking over the issue of defections that the congress party has faced over time the editor of The Sunday Guardian Joyeeta Basu said, “Whenever the allies have considered to Congresses demand for a large number of seats, they have realized that the Congresses strike rate is really low” she further added, “ When we are looking in terms of numbers, Congress is in a precarious situation where it is hard to aspire for a three-digit figure in the elections”. She further elaborates that to gain the numbers Congress aspires the party needs to have a competent mechanism in place.
Amid the exchange on the trajectory of the Congress party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a spectrum of perspectives emerged, shedding light on the party’s challenges and potential paths forward. Swati Chandrashekhar underscored the Congress’s emphasis on collective leadership through the I.N.D.I Alliance presents a vision of a more democratic India.
Meanwhile, Savio Rodrigues highlighted economic indicators under the Modi government, attributing the Congress’s decline partly to its leadership vacuum. Piyush Pant pointed out the party’s failure to rejuvenate itself at the grassroots level, though he expressed optimism about its prospects given Rahul Gandhi’s recent initiatives.
Finally, Joyeeta Basu underscored the crucial role of effective coalition-building and organizational competence for the Congress to regain electoral relevance. In essence, the debate encapsulated a pivotal moment for the grand old party, emphasizing the need for strategic recalibration and cohesive action to navigate the evolving political landscape.
