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Nation
Shortly after the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh election results were declared, jubilant Congress leaders exulted over their victory in the hill state, declaring triumphantly, "You can never underestimate our party. It has the ability and the capacity to fight back when it is down and out." Battered image Besieged by corruption scandals and slammed for poor governance, the Himachal Pradesh victory was particularly welcoming for the Congress, coming at as it did at a time when the Grand Old Party and the UPA government had initiated a series of steps as a conscious effort to refurbish its battered image. Had it lost both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, all these efforts would have come to nought. The year did not begin on a happy note for the Congress. had hoped to retrieve lost political ground by making some headway in the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh in the assembly polls. The UP election results were a double blow for the Congress. Not only was its dismal performance a cruel reminder to the party that it was destined to be an also-ran in Uttar Pradesh where it once held sway, it was a personal defeat for the Nehru-Gandhi scion and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi who staked his prestige on this election. This result raised serious doubts about his ability to lead the beleaguered Congress in the crucial 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Even as the party was licking its wounds after a string of electoral defeats and the UPA government was struggling to deal with difficult allies and a critical economic situation, the Congress scored a major political point when it was able to ensure the election of its presidential and vice-presidential nominees. The election created fissures in the BJP-led NDA as key allies Janata Dal (U) and the Shiv Sena which chose to support the ruling combine's Presidential candidate, while the UPA looked a picture of unity. This psychological victory proved to be short-lived as the UPA was once again engulfed in a controversy over the allocation of coal blocks. Worse, global agency Standard and Poor's threat to downgrade India's ratings threatened the Prime Minister’s reputation as an economist. Survival instincts It was at this stage that the Congress party's survival instincts kicked in. Shaking off the tag of policy paralysis, the UPA government decided to give a push its stalled reforms agenda. This included decisions like raising diesel prices, putting a cap on the number of subsidised LPG cylinders and opening up the multi-brand retail sector to foreign players. The decision on FDI in multi-brand retail pitted the UPA against a combined Opposition, even as its biggest and also its most troublesome ally, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, walked out in protest against this decision. The UPA’s survival never appeared to be in doubt as the Congress, through some skilful political management, ensured the support of arch political rivals, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The UPA is also sitting pretty because its chief challenger, the BJP, is in the throes of a leadership crisis and is unable to articulate its own agenda. In fact, the pace of decision-making in the UPA has picked up after Mamata Banerjee’s exit. The government is keeping an eye on the Congress party's electoral requirements. It recently unveiled its ambitious direct cash transfer scheme, billed as the UPA II's flagship programme. Getting the act together Simultaneously, the Congress has also shaken off its lethargy and made a serious attempt to put its house in order for the 2014 Lok Sabha poll. It has sought to dispel the growing public perception about he increasing gap between the government and the party. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi gave a thumbs-up to the PM's economic agenda at a massive public rally, followed by a "samvad baithak" of senior party leaders to ensure better coordination between the party and government. As the party gears up for a two-day "chintan shivir" in Jaipur next month to discuss the deficiencies in the party organisation and work on its next big electoral challenge, the Congress has virtually declared that Rahul Gandhi will be the party's face in the coming election. Speculation about his future role in the party ended when Rahul Gandhi was named head of a six-member coordination committee mandated to draw up the party's strategy for 2014. Public anger The government has been rattled by the unrelenting streets protests against the gang rape of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus in the Capital. The public anger against the UPA, last witnessed during the anti-graft agitation, was on display once again while a confused government failed miserably in tackling the situation skilfully. It is entirely possible that the UPA government will survive this latest crisis and ensure its longevity but the relief may well be temporary as its accumulated sins of omission and commission are not going to improve the party's dipping popularity ratings.
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