This time – after 2014 election – the situation is much worse than 1977. The current Congress tally of 44 is far lower than their previous worst of 114 in 1999. This was a combined result of rampant corruption, the high - handed approach of their top leaders and lackluster leadership of Rahul Gandhi and, added to that, Narendra Modi wave.

The Congress lost a formidable state like Andhra Pradesh by its own folly and paid the price; it was wiped out lock stock and barrel from newly created Telangana state and remaining part of Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka still stands by the Congress but how long? There is a faint ray of hope for the Congress in the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana but the Modi wave, though paused a little, is still there. All round price rise may act as a deterrent to the BJP.

The Congress, which has seen many ups and downs, in its long history, seems unable to come to grips with the magnitude of loss. It should logically be looking to revive its rank and file. It has enormous reach across India, perhaps even more than the BJP. It should in consultation with local level leaders come up with a development oriented blue print to take on regional parties as well as the BJP.

Apart from development oriented blue print, what the Congress can do to come out the present mess and, how the party should proceed? The first option is to stick to Rahul Gandhi and hope that he will better prepare himself by 2019 election. However, this is going to be very difficult – if not impossible – for the Congress to put up a fight in the next general election with Rahul Gandhi as their leader. Young and Urban voters don’t see him as competent enough to lead the nation. Therefore, even if voter get disenchanted with the Narendra Modi-led government, they might still not see Rahul someone who can fulfill their aspirations. This, in turn, could work in favour of the incumbents.

The second option is that both Sonia and Rahul relinquish their posts, and hold internal elections to choose new office bearers. This option would promote intra-party democracy and ensure that in 2019, the Congress puts forward its best candidates for the challenge. However, it would also mean that the role of the family in party affairs would be subdued, thereby, increasing the chances of division within the party, in the absence of a “high command”. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Congress’s biggest weakness at the moment is also its biggest strength. The family acts as an amalgam for the party, pretty much the same way, as the RSS does for the BJP.

The third option is to project Priyanka Gandhi as the new party leader. Many Congressmen believe she could be panacea the party needs. Priyanka seems to energize the party cadres in a way that Rahul fails to do, she comes across as a much better and natural speaker. However, she would probably face the same hurdles as Rahul is expected to, and she would also be carrying the baggage of her husband. The BJP and Narendra Modi have left no opportunity to attack Robert Vadra’s shady land deals. Once Priyanka comes to the forefront, the intensity of these attacks would only increase.

Apart from the central leadership, the Congress needs to cultivate strong leaders at the state level as well. This is something they have generally avoided, perhaps to prevent a challenge to their central leadership. If the Congress needs to recover lost ground, this is something that has to change. They need to find passionate politicians who are willing to work at the grass-root level, because unlike their central leaders (who find it difficult to save their own seats), these leaders will connect the party to the masses and bring in votes.

All the three options mentioned have pros and cons, and it is up to the party to decide which one would be the best for its plans, both in near future as well as in the long run. This decision should not be taken in haste; the party should ideally take a few months to carefully introspect the reasons for its loss. It is very important that they get it right the first time, because the future of India’s oldest political party more or less depends on it. With Narendra Modi led BJP controlling the Lok Sabha, the country needs a strong opposition, now more than ever. (IPA Service)