Like a sieve, the Congress has been losing its leaders one by one. The latest loss is Ashok Chavan, easily the tallest in Maharashtra. He is not only a former chief minister but also the son of a former chief minister. He is one of the few who could keep the Congress flag flying in Nanded and nearby areas when the BJP swept the polls in 2019. It is, at best, a puzzle how many Congress MLAs would follow in his footsteps. If that happens, it will be a body blow for the Congress. His departure comes in the wake of Mumbai strongman Milind Deora joining the Shiv Sena and city MLA Baba Siddiqui joining the Nationalist Congress Party. There are rumors that another former chief minister in Madhya Pradesh is all set to join the BJP.
Rats start leaving when they know that the ship is sinking. That they have no significant role to play on a ship is well-known. Therefore, if they leave, it is a good riddance for the captain who can concentrate on plugging the leak and preventing the ship from capsizing. The question is whether the Congress leadership is aware of the challenges the party faces. For instance, a day before Chavan quit the primary membership of the party, he had attended a session that sought to finalise the party’s strategy for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Come to think of it, Nitish Kumar, who organised the I.N.D.I.A initiative against the BJP, is today batting against the collective. Of course, he is no longer a vote-catcher, as the last Assembly elections proved. In any election, it is the popular trend that matters.
Thanks to Ayodhya, Modi has been able to instill confidence in a large section of the people that he is set to return as prime minister. As most politicians, especially in non-ideology-driven parties, want nothing but power and pelf, they are only too willing to join the winning side. Impressions matter a lot, especially in elections. Most people also tend to vote for the party that is certain to win. It is, therefore, in the interest of the Congress to stop the flow of leaders. It is time Rahul Gandhi realised that however good his journey across the country might be, it is not a substitute for presenting a party that is all set to take on the BJP. Yes, perceptions matter.
