Reinventing on the foundation day

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former party president, Rahul Gandhi. File pic

The Congress celebrates its 136th foundation day today (Dec 28) with expectations that it will continue to lead the anti-BJP bogie. The Opposition has activated itself in the wake of farmers' agitation, but it cannot yet claim ownership of the protest because the farmers have shown least interest in allowing the parties to promote them directly from the Delhi battle theatre. The Congress - down in numbers, spirit and activity - did show up with something like a protest in support of farmers in New Delhi, where its leaders made a lot of noise and got detained. The party gave the President a memorandum signed by two crore farmers from across the country. And yet, neither the union government nor the farmers' unions have given the prime Opposition party due importance in the scheme of things. For Congress, the year 2021 would be as demanding as the previous years, particularly in Maharashtra, where it is relegated to the fourth position.

Idea of nationalism

As far as foundation day celebrations are concerned, the Congress would again be trying to tear into the BJP's ideas. This time, it's nationalism, a plank that the ruling party has sold successfully to Indians. The Congress has asked party workers and leaders to post a selfie with the Tiranga online and organise Tiranga yatras across the country to mark the foundation day. Previously, the Congress had tried soft Hindutva to challenge the BJP in some hostile places, but the returns weren't very encouraging. It was like "your Hindutva vs my Hindutva" battle. The tussle over nationalism wouldn't be any different. The Congress leaders have taken a leaf out of pre-independence history and branded their nationalism as a tool to fight against the British-like BJP. The 100th year celebrations of the Nagpur Session of the Congress drew a parallel between the Congress-led independence struggle and an anti-BJP movement. However, the Congress leaders in Nagpur seemed to have forgotten the strength of unity their legendary leaders ensured while driving the British away. With no initiative from the national or state party units, the two warring factions of the local Congress organised separate functions last week. Faction feud has been a bane for the Congress. A bigger fight can be seen in Delhi among the veterans and the Young Turks of the party. Leadership would be another challenge for the grand old party in 2021. Will Rahul Gandhi wear the crown again to lead the party through half a dozen state elections till 2024?

Maharashtra important

In Maharashtra's post-poll alliance, the Congress shares power with the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party. Questioned over ideology status while partnering with the secular parties, the Sena swears by its brand of Hindutva. The NCP is ideologically closer to the Congress, but it can be flexible in the game of power. The NCP poses a real danger to the Congress, which has been fighting for survival. Eating into the Congress is the best and easiest way for the NCP to bring itself in a position where it wouldn't require the crutches of a third partner to make a government in the future. The Congress seems to have understood the game-plan and it has settled ideological issues to stay put in power for as long as possible. But the Congress is increasingly feeling left out in the making of policies. Lately, the party is also upset because of the criticism of its leadership by the NCP and Sena. It has begun pressure tactics to reign in the partners. Party chief Sonia Gandhi wrote to the CM, asking him to ensure the welfare of SC/ST communities. Buoyed by the letter-shot, Congress ministers have stalled a commercially impactful proposal of offering sops to the pandemic-affected real estate sector. It would be interesting to see what changes the Congress makes to the proposal or if it approves the original one. Such tussles would surface frequently after the government gains momentum in a much-controlled COVID-19 situation. We're told that the Congress would be hanging over the MVA's head like the sword of Damocles.

Mumbai paramount

In the run-up to the elections for the country's richest municipal body in 2022, year 2021 would be crucial. The Sena can't afford to lose its grip on the Brihanmmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) while the BJP has inched closer to power. The Congress emerged as the biggest casualty in 2017 in a bipolar Sena versus BJP battle. After striking a deal with the Sena in the MVA, the Congress chose to sit in the Opposition in BMC because it didn't want to concede that position to the BJP which refused to be the Opposition to the then 'friendly' Sena. However, the position of power in the state government has increased the Congress' attempts to interfere in BMC's matters, creating competition among Congress leaders. Complaints against each other have been lodged with the high command, which seems to be convinced that the party must have some say in the BMC. Next year would be crucial as far as the formation of an MVA-like alliance in BMC is concerned, but before that, some municipal corporations like Kayan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai and Kolhapur would put the MVA to test against the BJP.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore

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