New Congress chief

After almost two-and-a-half decades, the Congress has finally got a non-Gandhi chief — 80-year-old Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge. However, the presidential election was tainted by the allegations levelled by rival candidate Shashi Tharoor’s team that ‘extremely serious irregularities’ took place on voting day in Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest number of PCC delegates. The apparent failure of the Congress’ central election authority to ensure a free and fair poll underscores the mess that pervades the party.

Rumblings of discontent and discord were visible when the Congress was unable to pick a consensus candidate for the top post. Unanimity has been the norm in the 137-year-old party’s history, with presidential contests being a rarity. The current controversy, though, is not without precedent; the high-profile battles have mostly been acrimonious. With the Congress’ national footprint dwindling and its position as the premier Opposition party in jeopardy, it was imperative to hold the election in a smooth and transparent manner so as to usher in a much-needed change of guard. The party has faltered on this front, thus souring Kharge’s landslide victory. The Congress leadership needs to thoroughly probe the poll-related allegations; brushing aside doubts and apprehensions about intra-party democracy will only increase unrest among the rank and file.

Kharge has already stated that he would have no shame in taking the advice and support of the Gandhi family in running the party’s affairs. Though a non-Gandhi leader is now at the helm, the Gandhis are unlikely to loosen their stranglehold on the grand old party. How the Kharge-led party performs in the Gujarat and Himachal Assembly elections later this year will have a bearing on its prospects in the 2024 General Election, besides impacting its equations with other Opposition parties and their efforts to stitch up a credible anti-BJP alliance. It will be a huge challenge for Kharge to exercise complete control over the Congress and dispel the notion that he is a mere figurehead, a potential scapegoat for the party’s future electoral losses.