Congress needs to take a total turnaround

BJP is certainly not a perfect party. It cannot be said that all those who have merit are rewarded here. Like all other parties, there are several parameters which decides one's growth in the party. But if one compares it with Congress party which refuses even to elect or select a new face at the top, in BJP there are many examples where first-generation politicians have been given important positions.

The Congress party has been on a downward slide since 2014 and there appears to be no sign of either leaders of other parties or the voters showing faith either in the party or its leadership. Though it has been getting some votes in some of the states, it cannot be said with certainty that it is because of the Gandhi family.

The party does not only need a change at the top but needs to re-invent itself. It needs new look, new set of proactive and forward-looking team new thinking and new strategies. But unfortunately, all the so-called senior leaders refuse to accept the reality and still feel that without Gandhi family, the party would crumble.

The Congress should get out of its policy of appeasement, should not bother what the BJP is doing and should stop making naïve statements. Instead, it should go in for a new leadership which can galvanise the rank and file to go into the people, be with them, and win back their confidence. Excellence should be the mantra for success.

But unfortunately, excellence is being shown in groupism, infighting and hunger of party posts knowing fully well that it would not get them anything at this stage. People want to see something new in everything. Similarly, a political party should also come with innovative ideas and adopt new style of functioning.

The grand old party needs to evolve new core values. It's time the Congress considers that it is a startup party and strives to become a unicorn. It should learn to give room for talent. High command should not mean Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. There should be a proper structure to formulate policies and programs and a new political ideology.

No party can progress unless it encourages new talent. The seniors and old timers refuse to accept new talent. They start pulling each other's legs once a new person is given some responsibility and the dissenting leaders have to be pacified by the so-called high command.

The party remains busier in resolving such petty issues and in the process, has lost its political importance and today no regional party is willing to accept it as a powerful force which can lead the country. The emergence of regional parties took place because of the wrong policies of Congress and today the Congress is being looked upon as a liability by other political parties.

Though BJP is not free from sycophants. But still it is much better as compared to Congress and is giving an impression that there is no match to it at least in the next five years. The party had picked up many leaders like Yogi Adityanath who proved his mettle as a tough chief minister and won Assembly elections for the second consecutive term creating history. Similarly, it has given chance to many young and new faces in the Union Cabinet who had risen from grass root level.

If the Congress refuses to change even at this stage, then it can forget to come to power at any point of time. It should realise that it is creating a political vacuum by allowing itself to get decimated. This certainly would be a great loss for the country since it needs a strong opposition.