Senior

member

tells

Subodh Ghildiyal

the party has to reorganise itself and emerge from its crisis of confidence. Excerpts:

After the recent assembly elections, especially UP, Congress appears to be at its lowest ebb. What is the way out?

What re-invention of image do you suggest for the party?

What can be done on this front?

Now, more Congress talks about ‘secularism’, more

is able to polarise.

Do you think Congress should stitch a ‘grand alliance’ to take on BJP?

On the contrary, Congress won three of the five states. Congress is out of the post-2014 danger zone. For 2019, the party needs to revisit its strategy. Rahul Gandhi has to immediately take over as Congress president, take up full responsibility. Then, he may get his team and we can look at revival. We have neglected the party. AICC has not been reorganised for years, general secretaries incharge of states have not been changed, even after defeats. There is no accountability. States have been neglected. The truth is that people have faith in Congress but Congress has no faith in itself. There is a crisis of confidence. We have to come out of this morass.Congress has always done inclusive politics. The backward classes, the poor, minorities, all felt it was their party. Congress adopted a pro-poor, pro-development stance. But we have to reframe our policies because of the adverse campaign from communal parties that we pursue “appeasement”. We have never been a party of “appeasement”. We have been for everybody. Minorities are also a part, they are 20% of population . But that does not mean we are depending on 20%. We depend on 100%. The Hindu mainstream has always been with us.Congress should disabuse itself of the notion that minorities are totally with us. They are divided. There are regional parties, communal parties. They will take a chunk of votes. So, Congress has to restore its image as an all-religion, all-caste party. The ‘pro-minority’ tag got stuck on Congress, that’s why we lost. We have to get back our pro-poor image… it is an umbrella under which all castes and religions fall. We should not imitate regional parties. Congress should re-establish itself as the strongest, patriotic national party.Secularism as a word has been abused. This is an imitation of regional politics by a national party. There is no question of re-establishing ourselves as a secular party. We are one. When we talk more of it, people get confused that it is a ‘minority party’… ‘appeasement’. Identity politics has spoilt Congress.Alliance will not take Congress anywhere without the party rebuilding its own base. It will take the party to extinction. There is no compromise. Alliance may be required… during elections. But that is not your goal.