But in reality this is not the position. Rahul’s approach has been quite pragmatic. As the chief of the Congress he is aware of the miseries and plights the party was facing at the ground level. The party has lost its traditional support base during the last two decades. In most of the states the state leadership has surrendered to the regional parties. This was clearly evident in UP and in Bihar. Lalu dictated the term in 2015.

A party having the reputation of being the only ruling party till eighties was known for winning 70 to 80 per cent Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Ironically the same Congress has today been reduced to the status of depending on “borrowed players” to win the general election in the state. What is worse is the party is fighting desperately for its survival.

This is for the first time the Congress is witnessing an influx of leaders from other parties. Out of nine at least five are such candidates. Of the five, Shatrughna Sinha, Kirt Azad and Uday Singh came from the BJP and Tariq Anwar from the NCP. Nilam Devi’s husband Anant Kumar Singh was earlier MLA of JD(U) from Mokama. In 2015, he won the assembly election as independent candidate after the JD(U) denied him the party symbol. Tariq Anwar will contest from Katihar, Uday Singh alias Pappu Singh from Purnia, Anant Kumar Singh’s wife Nilam Devi from Munger. Shatrughna will contest from the prestigious Patna Saheb seat

The organizational structure of the party has deteriorated to such an extent that there was utter lack of credible leaders to lead the party from front. Look at the seat distribution issue in Bihar. The party was earlier offered 11 seats. But the state leaders could not present their case in a strong manner before other partners, particular before Lalu Prasad. Eventually the share of the seats was reduced to 9.

Though the state Congress leaders nurse the view that RJD has deprived them of their rightful share, the fact remains the state Congress even does not have candidates to fill these nine seats. The only seat that created raucous was the Congress claim on Darbhanga seat which was held by Kirti Azad as the BJP nominee. In fact sheer bad luck to the Congress even the RJD was utterly divided on this seat. Two senior RJD leaders had staked their claims for this seat. With Abdul Bari Siddiqui being nominated by the RJD to contest this seat, the other guy Ali Asraf Fatimi has threatened to quit the party.

Technically Azad is not the original Congressman. He quit the BJP a month back. In fact the Congress has offered three seats to the turn coats. This makes it quite explicit that the party does not have sufficient number of leaders to contest the election. Some of the prominent faces of the party unable to contain their lust for power switched over to the BJP during last year.

It not that simply Congress is dependent on the party hoppers, the BJP too has been accommodating such elements. But its strategy is different to Congress. It has been resorting to this practice for weakening Congress. JDU leader Rishi Mishra, a grandson of former Union minister L N Mishra, joined Congress. Former MP Lovely Anand, wife of jailed don-turned-politician Anand Mohan has also joined Congress.

It would be a major gain for the Congress and particularly personally for Rahul if at least three or four of its nominees get elected. Other way round victory of the alliance partners would also to the strength of the Congress. This is the worst phase in the life of the Congress. What is utmost required is to salvage the situation and salvage the pride of the oldest party of the country. This is faced with the crisis of survival and certainly is not in the position to dictate terms to its partners. This bitter truth has to be realized and respected..

What has brought a sudden change in the perception and approach of the voters especially upper caste people is the feeling that BJP was dancing to the tune of the RJD chief Lalu Prasad. No doubt the Congress has aligned with Lalu, but people it was out of compulsion for survival and not beyond that. The entry of the new faces in the Congress has in fact turned the RJD skeptical. (IPA Service)