Congress hits 100 mark: What's next for the party?
Sangli MP Vishal Patil threw his support behind the Congress on Thursday, increasing the party's effective strength to 100. This comes as the Congress prepares for two critical meetings to determine its legislative and political strategies, including selecting the new Leader of the Opposition (LoP).
Patil, the grandson of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vasantdada Patil, ran as an independent after ally Uddhav Thackeray claimed the Sangli seat. He won by a margin of approximately 100,000 votes. His return to the Congress marks the first time in a decade the party has reached a three-figure count after poor performances in 2014 and 2019.
"Maharashtra’s electorate has rejected politics of betrayal and division. This is a tribute to the legacies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar," said Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, welcoming Patil's support.
The morale boost precedes a legislative party meeting on Friday with newly elected members and Rajya Sabha parliamentarians. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will convene on Saturday to strategize for the 2024 campaign.
A key issue for discussion at both meetings will be the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition. In the previous two elections, Congress lacked the necessary 10% seat threshold for this position.
Rahul Gandhi, credited with revitalizing the party, is a favoured candidate for LoP. Gandhi won his seats in Rae Bareli and Wayanad with substantial margins and is seen as a strong adversary to Narendra Modi and the Sangh Parivar. His Bharat Jodo Yatras has also broadened his appeal across regions. However, Gandhi’s past reluctance to take an administrative role leaves his decision uncertain.
Kharge has prepared a contingency plan, requesting a list of the 10 most senior lawmakers. Potential candidates include Shashi Tharoor, who secured his fourth term in Thiruvananthapuram by defeating Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Despite Tharoor’s popularity, there is reluctance to appoint another southern MP to a high-profile role due to the prominence of leaders like Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal from the region.
Former minister and Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, known for his eloquence in debates on Centre-state relations and national security, is also considered. However, his involvement in the G23 group that demanded internal reforms in 2020 might work against him.
Another potential candidate is three-time Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi, a close associate of Gandhi who led the no-confidence motion over the Manipur violence last year.
The BJP secured 240 seats in the recent general elections, falling short of the 272 majority mark. The Opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) performed unexpectedly well in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, limiting the BJP to 130 seats below its pre-poll target of 370.
The Congress played a significant role in this performance, nearly matching the BJP in Haryana and Rajasthan and improving its success rate in direct contests with the BJP from 9% in 2019 to 29% this election.
