IS CONGRESS AN ALTERNATIVE OR JUST AN ECHO OF THE PAST?

IS CONGRESS AN ALTERNATIVE OR JUST AN ECHO OF THE PAST?

7-SEP-ENG 18

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------From the 2025 Bihar assembly elections to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, the country's politics is going to enter a decisive phase. This phase is not just about the possibility of change of power, but about examining the true nature of the opposition. And at the center of this investigation is the oldest party—the Congress.

The biggest question before the Congress today is this: will it be able to convince the public that it is a real alternative to the aspirations of today's India, or has it remained just an organization trapped in the memories of the past?

The truth is that the Congress has the power of legacy, but legacy alone does not provide bread to the public. The public today wants accountability, promptness and concrete solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. The strength of the BJP has been its strong narrative, electoral strategy and the ability to communicate directly with the public. If the Congress has to become an alternative, it will have to generate new energy at both the level of ground organization and ideology.

The Bihar election in 2025 will not only be a “political test” for the Congress but also a “test of faith”. This will decide whether the Congress can gain enough strength to influence the mandate on its own, or it will remain just a supporting party in coalition politics. If it fails here, the path to 2029 will become more difficult for it.

People are now asking whether the Congress has “clarity of leadership” and “vision for the future”? Or does it only want to prove its relevance by citing past achievements? If the Congress really wants to become an alternative, it will have to take decisive steps on two fronts—first, to revive the organization at the booth level; second, to present a concrete and practical agenda that is directly connected to the lives of today's youth, farmers and middle class.

In politics, memories provide emotional support, but elections demand a ticket for the future journey. The Congress's connection to the past is its capital, but its vision for the future is its biggest debt—which must be repaid.

The ultimate question is—will the Congress be able to transform itself into an alternative by 2029, or will it become a 'great party of the past' recorded in history books?