Why is Congress failing to outmaneuver the NDA?

VJM Divakar I hyderabad

Picture this: It’s 1977, and Indira Gandhi, battered by a crushing electoral defeat after the dark days of the Emergency, seems politically finished. The nation has turned against her, enraged by her authoritarian overreach. Yet, in an audacious display of grit and genius, she seizes a single moment—the horrific Belchi massacre in Bihar.

Riding an elephant through muddy terrain to meet grieving villagers, she transforms her image from a detached autocrat to a leader who feels the people’s pain. By 1980, she’s back in power, leading Congress to a stunning victory. That’s the kind of political magic the Congress party of today desperately needs but can’t seem to conjure.

Fast forward to 2025, and the Congress finds itself at a crossroads. The party has landed significant blows against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), forcing retreats on high-stakes issues like the Farm Bills, the Waqf Bill, and even securing a caste census.

These aren’t small wins—they’re the kind of victories that could rally a nation. Yet, the Congress, led by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, seems stuck in neutral, unable to turn these triumphs into a movement that could shake the NDA’s grip on power. Why is the grand old party fumbling this golden opportunity?

Congress’s Big Wins: A Story Left Untold

Let’s talk about the Farm Bills. In 2021, these laws sparked a farmers’ uprising that brought the NDA to its knees. From Punjab’s fields to Delhi’s borders, protests raged, and the Congress was right there, amplifying the farmers’ voices in Parliament and on the streets. When the NDA finally scrapped the bills, it was a humiliating climb down for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress could have owned this moment, painting itself as the defender of India’s heartland. Instead, it let the narrative fizzle.

Then there’s the caste census. For years, the Congress has championed this demand, a potential game-changer for social justice in India. Its relentless pressure forced the NDA to agree to include it in the next census—a massive win for marginalized communities. Add to that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which the Congress’s fierce opposition sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, effectively stalling what many saw as an attack on minority rights. These are victories that could electrify a nation, but the Congress has barely raised a megaphone to celebrate them.

Where’s the fire? Where’s the campaign to take these wins to every village and city? Indira Gandhi would have been on the ground, turning each victory into a rallying cry. Today’s Congress, however, seems content to let these moments slip through its fingers, leaving the NDA to regroup unscathed.

The UPA II “Scams”: A Myth Congress Won’t Bust

Cast your mind back to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) II years. The BJP, alongside civil society warriors like Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption (IAC), painted the Manmohan Singh government as a cesspool of corruption. The 2G spectrum “scam,” the Commonwealth Games (CWG) fiasco, and the coal block allocation controversy dominated headlines, fueled by a relentless media blitz. 

The Congress, caught flat-footed, watched its reputation implode, paving the way for its 2014 drubbing.

Here’s the kicker: those “scams” were largely a mirage. Courts later acquitted key figures in the 2G case, and the coal controversy crumbled under scrutiny. These were manufactured crises, yet the Congress has done shockingly little to clear its name. Why isn’t the party shouting from the rooftops, exposing the BJP’s smear tactics? A nationwide campaign to set the record straight could dent the BJP’s anti-corruption halo and remind voters of Congress’s vindication. Instead, the party’s silence is deafening.

 The NDA’s Soft Spots: Congress’s Untapped Arsenal

If the Congress needs ammunition, the NDA is practically handing it over. Take the PM CARES Fund, shrouded in secrecy and dogged by allegations of mismanagement. Or the Rafale fighter jet deal, tainted by accusations of cronyism and inflated costs. Then there’s the NDA’s brazen misuse of agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to hound opposition leaders—a textbook authoritarian playbook. These are issues that could spark outrage, yet the Congress hasn’t lit the fuse.

Compare this to the BJP’s playbook during UPA II. The IAC movement wasn’t just a protest; it was a spectacle. It tapped into public frustration, uniting students, professionals, and homemakers under a single banner. The BJP, with its media savvy and RSS-backed ground game, turned flimsy allegations into a national crusade. The Congress, with far juicier material, hasn’t come close to matching that energy. Where’s the equivalent of an IAC-style movement to rally people against the NDA’s missteps? Where’s the viral social media campaign exposing PM CARES or Rafale? The Congress is sitting on a political goldmine but seems clueless about how to mine it.

 Why Congress Keeps Stumbling

So, what’s holding the Congress back? For starters, its leadership lacks the spark to ignite a movement. Rahul Gandhi’s speeches on unemployment and farmers’ rights are earnest but often fail to connect emotionally with the masses. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has shown flashes of charisma in Uttar Pradesh, but her role remains limited. The party’s organizational machinery is another weak link—its state units are in disarray, and its grassroots presence is a shadow of the BJP’s RSS-fueled juggernaut.

Then there’s the narrative problem. The BJP is a master storyteller, weaving tales of nationalism and “clean governance” to drown out its failures. The Congress, by contrast, is reactive, not proactive. It hasn’t crafted a compelling story that ties its policy wins to a vision for India’s future. And let’s not forget alliances. The farmers’ protests showed the power of opposition unity, but the Congress hasn’t sustained that coalition into a broader anti-NDA front. The BJP, despite its own ally troubles, keeps its coalition humming while the Congress flounders.

 Time to Channel Indira’s Playbook

The Congress is at a make-or-break moment. It has the wins, the issues, and the moral high ground to challenge the NDA—but it’s squandering them. To turn the tide, the party needs to channel Indira Gandhi’s 1977-1980 playbook: seize the moment, tell a powerful story, and mobilize like never before. Imagine a nationwide “Bharat Jodo 2.0” campaign, spotlighting the NDA’s corruption, authoritarianism, and policy flops while showcasing Congress’s victories. Picture Rahul and Priyanka hitting the road, connecting with farmers, youth, and minorities, backed by a revitalized party machine.

The Congress must also rebuild its state units, empower local leaders, and forge ironclad alliances with regional players. A slick social media strategy wouldn’t hurt either—memes, videos, and hashtags could make PM CARES and Rafale household talking points. The BJP has shown how to weaponize narratives; it’s time for the Congress to learn.

Indira Gandhi turned a single elephant ride into a political resurrection. The Congress of 2025 has far more to work with, but it’s running out of time. Will it rise to the challenge or fade into irrelevance? The answer lies in whether it can find the courage—and the cunning—to fight like Indira did.