The Congress on Sunday suffered a near wipeout in the Hindi heartland as it lost 3-1 to the BJP in the assembly polls, signalling the need to redraw its strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Congress' loss in key states has also weakened its position in the INDIA where equations are set to change, as other Opposition parties would challenge its position as the fulcrum of the alliance.
While Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had lashed out. t the Congress over refusal to share seats in Madhya Pradesh, more rumblings within the opposition bloc have. begun after the results on Sunday with JDU's KC Tyagi saying that this is not a defeat of the INDIA but of the Congress, as it ignored other partners.
Internal rifts and factionalism within its state units added to the Congress' woes in these assembly polls, which were considered as semifinals to the 2024 general elections.
- Admitting that the Congress' cards did not work with the voters this time, a senior leader said there is a need for the party to go back to the drawing board and chalk out its strategy soon as merely four months are left for the grand finale in Lok Sabha elections.
- The results of the assembly elections have come as a bitter lesson for the Congress party and INDIA, which will now have to rediscover its election narrative to take on a resurgent BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“These election results underline the need for the secular forces to redouble their efforts in defence of people's livelihood and the secular democratic character of the Indian republic,” said Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) General Secretary.
“It is clear that the main Opposition party is unable to win on its own. INDIA was missing in the elections as the Congress never invited or consulted any of its allies,” said KC Tyagi, JD(U) spokesperson.