Rahul Gandhi’s task of rebuilding the Congress has become more daunting. After a small victory lap following Congress’s improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which saw them reclaim their position as an opposition party that ought to be taken seriously, Rahul’s return to Gujarat has been anything but a smooth ride.
In the recent local body elections, the BJP walked away with 65 municipalities, and the Samajwadi Party nabbed two in Porbandar. The Congress went from winning 12 municipalities last time to just one.
Rahul arrived in Gujarat for a two-day visit last week, right before the much-anticipated All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in April. This session held in Gujarat after 64 years is expected to be a huge milestone. But for many party veterans, it feels more like a reunion of the good old days — a time when Congress was actually a force to be reckoned with. Back then, it wasn’t just about grand speeches, it was about grassroots efforts — and right now, Congress is sorely missing those days.
Among the attendees at the Gujarat Congress event was 92-year-old Balubhai Patel, the convener of the party’s disciplinary committee, who had also been involved in the Seva Dal’s activities during Gujarat’s formation as a state. “Earlier they would care for the worker, his every small need,” Patel was quoted as saying by a national newspaper. “With power, a person becomes humble, but in this case, people become proud,” he added, highlighting the disconnect between today’s leadership and the grassroots workers.
Patel also emphasised how the collective work in the party—whether it was setting up temporary toilets, spinning khadi for the linen, or coordinating dining areas—helped strengthen the organization’s foundation. “These are the foundations of an organisation; it is not strengthened only by talk,” he said.
During his visit, he met with leaders at all levels of the Gujarat Congress. He asked them why they had not been able to fulfill their responsibilities, with some leaders citing issues like “groupism” and “lack of resources.”
Several Congress leaders have raised concerns about how casteism has infiltrated the party in recent times.
Former Union Minister Yogendra Makwana, 92, reminisced about the time when Congress workers had a sense of camaraderie. He recalled standing up for Indira Gandhi despite being overlooked for an Assembly ticket. “When nobody was with you, we were with you,” he recalled telling her.
Makwana reflected on the current state of the party, saying, “If this happens today, they will throw them out of the party. Nobody will even care for them. At that time people cared, stood by you… Today, you see those who don’t get tickets go to other parties.”
Makwana, who left Congress in 2008 after being removed from his post as chairperson of the AICC Scheduled Caste department, criticised the current trend of sycophancy and lack of internal democracy. He said that in today’s Congress “workers look for comfort”.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil acknowledged the challenges the party faces, including the “arrogance” of the ruling BJP. “We are fighting against all odds, ahankar (arrogance), but democracy is all about people power,” he said.
Asked about Rahul Gandhi’s challenge to the state unit to form the government by 2027, Gohil cautioned against predictions. “One should not predict. What happened in Delhi? After winning the local polls, they (AAP) lost… Never underestimate the people. Gujarat follows the Gandhi model.”
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