Hooda, Gehlot, Nath, Baghel, Sharma: Swan song of Congress veterans?

Following the drubbing the Indian National Congress received in the recent Haryana election, founder-editor of The Squirrels Bhupendra Chaubey and senior journalist Sudeep Mukhia discussed whether this was the end of the road for Bhupinder Singh Hooda, drawing comparisons with similar last innings played by Kamal Nath, Anand Sharma, Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot in their respective states.

The veterans have all seen their influence over their respective states wane following the INC’s humiliating defeats in 2023-24. Despite being granted significant autonomy by the party's high command, these leaders have failed to secure victories, raising questions about their relevance in the political landscape moving forward.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda falls from grace in Haryana

Haryana’s 2024 assembly elections were supposed to be a comeback opportunity for Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who previously governed the state for two consecutive terms (2005–2014). However, despite his heavy involvement in shaping the Congress campaign strategy, Hooda's focus on consolidating the Jat vote failed to resonate with the broader electorate. The BJP secured 48 seats, while the Congress trailed with 36, signalling a failure to connect with other demographic groups, such as non-Jats and Dalits.

Feud with Selja

The internal power struggle between Hooda and his colleague, Dalit leader Kumari Selja, only compounded the Congress's problems. Hooda’s control over the ticket distribution process marginalised Selja’s camp, resulting in dissatisfaction among Dalit voters.

Hooda's reliance on Jat voters, who make up about 26-28% of Haryana’s population, alienated the party from non-Jat communities and exacerbated the Congress’s electoral misfortunes.

Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot squabbled in Rajasthan

Ashok Gehlot's tenure as Chief Minister of Rajasthan saw persistent clashes with his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, which weakened the Congress’s internal cohesion. The 2023 Rajasthan election was an opportunity for the party to retain control, but Gehlot's feud with Pilot contributed to a significant electoral debacle.

The BJP capitalised on the anti-incumbency sentiment and factionalism within the Congress, securing 115 out of 199 seats, while the grand old party managed only 69.

The rift between Gehlot and Pilot, which began with Pilot’s open rebellion against Gehlot’s leadership in 2020, created months of internal party turmoil. Gehlot’s failure to reconcile with Pilot alienated a segment of voters who perceived the Congress as a divided house.

Despite Gehlot having considerable control over his government and campaign strategy, his inability to manage this internal conflict significantly hurt the party’s prospects.

Kamal Nath’s struggles in Madhya Pradesh

In Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath led the Congress into the 2023 election after briefly serving as chief minister from 2018 to 2020. However, his administration fell when Jyotiraditya Scindia defected to the BJP, bringing down Nath’s government. The 2023 election was seen as Nath’s chance to reclaim lost ground, but the BJP, under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, achieved a decisive victory with 163 seats, while the Congress managed only 60.

The ongoing friction between Nath and Scindia, a former ally turned BJP heavyweight, cast a long shadow over the election. Nath’s failure to build a coherent narrative appealing to voters beyond his traditional base reflected broader disorganization within the Congress. Despite being granted full autonomy to manage the campaign, Nath’s inability to address internal divisions within the party hampered the Congress’s prospects.

Bhupesh Baghel’s loss in Chhattisgarh

Bhupesh Baghel’s leadership in Chhattisgarh was initially a bright spot for the Congress in 2018 when he led the party to a sweeping victory. However, the 2023 election painted a different picture, as the BJP managed to narrow the gap, winning 54 seats compared to the Congress’s 35.

Baghel had clashed with TS Singh Deo, a senior Congress leader and his main rival within the party, throughout his tenure as Chief Minister. The factionalism between the two leaders resulted in a divided campaign, with Singh Deo’s supporters feeling marginalised.

Despite being granted considerable autonomy to run the government and manage the electoral strategy, Baghel’s inability to quell internal divisions weakened the Congress’s position in the state. The BJP capitalized on this disunity, focusing its campaign on governance issues and effectively splitting the Congress vote base.

Leadership crisis?

What unites Hooda, Gehlot, Nath, and Baghel is their inability to overcome internal divisions within the party despite the autonomy provided to them by the Congress high command. The fragmentation of leadership at the state level and the failure to address factional disputes have severely limited the Congress’s electoral viability in these key states.

Hooda’s marginalisation of Kumari Selja’s faction in Haryana, Gehlot’s feud with Pilot in Rajasthan, Nath’s unresolved conflict with Scindia in Madhya Pradesh and Baghel’s rivalry with Singh Deo in Chhattisgarh reflect broader structural problems within the Congress. Each of these veterans enjoyed considerable authority within their respective states, but none could leverage it to unite the party and present a cohesive front during elections.

End of road for Congress veterans?

The Congress’s electoral failures in 2023 and 2024 have put the future of its veteran leaders in question. While Hooda, Gehlot, Nath, and Baghel remain influential figures, their inability to deliver victories for the party has raised concerns about their continued relevance.

As Congress contemplates its strategies for future elections — several important assembly elections are lined up for this year and the next — it must reassess leadership at the state level and address the factionalism that has plagued it for years. The path forward may require the party to consider new leadership capable of unifying disparate factions and reinvigorating its electoral strategies.

With the next general election not expected until 2029 under normal circumstances — nobody can read Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind — the time for the Congress to reform and rejuvenate its leadership is now, or it risks becoming increasingly irrelevant in Indian politics.