Congress Faces Electoral Setback: A Struggle for Relevance

The Congress suffered a major setback, performing poorly in Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections. The party struggles to maintain its influence in coalition politics, with Rahul Gandhi's strategies failing to resonate. Despite a few wins, Congress faces an uphill battle to regain its standing.

The Congress party endured significant electoral defeats on Saturday, marking its weakest performance in Maharashtra and suffering in Jharkhand as well. The results highlight the diminishing role of Congress as its allies in the opposition outperform it, weakening its position in coalition politics.

While the INDIA bloc managed a win in Jharkhand, the loss of a pivotal state like Maharashtra, following a setback in Haryana, decreases the historic party's negotiating power in the current era of political alliances. Despite leading the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, Congress failed to counter the NDA's formidable success.

Rahul Gandhi's focus on topics like caste census and corporate critique hasn't resonated with voters. Despite victories in Kerala and Karnataka, the party's overall performance lags behind. These results leave Congress entering the next election cycle seeking to revive its strategic narrative.

(With inputs from agencies.)