Even after receiving a thrashing loss electorally, congress leadership rejoiced AAP’s victory as it defeated the BJP but not without offending its own leaders. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram tried to score a moral victory point by rejoicing over the AAP’s victory but received a backlash from several Congress leaders including Sharmistha Mukherjee, Shashi Tharoor and Jaiveer Shergill.
Congress, which ruled Delhi for years under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit has even failed to open its account. Congress’ vote share plummeted to 4.26 this time from 9.25 per cent of 2015. Moreover, suggesting a major problem for the party in future, around 63 of its 66 candidates lost their deposits this time.
Expressing his happiness over the defeat of the BJP and while rejoicing AAP’s victory, P Chidambaram tweeted, “AAP won, bluff and bluster lost. The people of Delhi, who are from all parts of India, have defeated the polarising, divisive and dangerous agenda of the BJP I salute the people of Delhi who have set an example to other states that will hold their elections in 2021 and 2022,”
This stunned several congress leaders, who were distressed over the grave electoral loss of the congress. Daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, Sharmistha Mukherjee, openly ridiculed Chidambaram’s stance saying, “With due respect, sir, just want to know- has @INCIndia outsourced the task of defeating BJP to state parties? If not, then why r we gloating over AAP victory rather than being concerned abt our drubbing? And if ‘yes’, then we (PCCs) might as well close shop!
Shashi Tharoor too questioned the Congress leader through a Hindi- Urdu couplet, “किसी की जीत पे यूं नाज़ाँ हैं शिकस्त खा के फतह पाई हो !”
Congress dynamic spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also expressed discontent over such stance of Congress leadership, “3 Things Congress should NOT do today: 1. Justify own defeat 2. Find happiness in BJP defeat 3. Tell themselves that in Election wins & losses are cyclic.”
AAP won, bluff and bluster lost. The people of Delhi, who are from all parts of India, have defeated the polarising, divisive and dangerous agenda of the BJP
I salute the people of Delhi who have set an example to other states that will hold their elections in 2021 and 2022
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 11, 2020
With due respect sir, just want to know- has @INCIndia outsourced the task of defeating BJP to state parties? If not, then why r we gloating over AAP victory rather than being concerned abt our drubbing? And if ‘yes’, then we (PCCs) might as well close shop! https://t.co/Zw3KJIfsRx
— Sharmistha Mukherjee (@Sharmistha_GK) February 11, 2020
किसी की जीत पे यूं नाज़ाँ हैं
शिकस्त खा के फतह पाई हो ! #DelhiElectionResults— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 12, 2020
3 Things Congress should NOT do today:
1. Justify own defeat
2. Find happiness in BJP defeat
3. Tell themselves that in Election wins & losses are cyclicCongratulations to @AamAadmiParty for a well deserved victory & running a focussed campaign.
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) February 11, 2020
Cadres of the party believe the party can hope to revive only when it resolves the leadership issue at the central level, take pragmatic and nuanced positions on divisive issues and hit the streets on livelihood issues like unemployment on a regular basis.
The insensitivity and centralisation of the party, giving all the party powers and resources to the Gandhi family is costing the party even in the states. The core vote base of the Congress has moved to other parties after Rahul Gandhi took the baton.
Chidambaram’s remarks are a reassurance of the mindset of the Congress leadership, its only motive is to block BJP from electoral successes. It’s distressing that a national party of such stature is only directing its cadre to ensure the defeat of BJP rather than raising national issues of public importance. As we have witnessed in Jharkhand, Congress would not hesitate to take a smaller piece of the cake alongside even a regional party or state party. The disapproval of Chidambaram’s remark also suggests growing dissatisfaction among the congress’ cadres.
