It is true that the Congress was never a party based on executives. When political parties win elections, they do so on the basis of their advocacy and leadership. From Indira Gandhi’s return in 1980 to his dramatic victory over Sonia Gandhi in 2004, narrative has arguably been the key to Congress’ victories.
Examples of cadre-based political parties in India include the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). Although some may have weakened, if the BSP and the Communist Party still exist today, it is undoubtedly due in large part to their cadre-based structure.
history cannot guide the future
Some in Congress are making the mistake of using history as a guide to the future. Congressional leaders didn’t use social media because it didn’t exist in the 1920s. Given that Mahatma Gandhi was a prolific writer, if he were alive today he would have been at the forefront of using social media to persuade the masses in his direction. There is no doubt about it.
Similarly, it is time for Congress to reconsider its party structure. This cannot be addressed simply by increasing party membership. Because adding new members to the party will mean nothing without a new imagination about how the party organization will be shaped and used.
States with different parliamentary models: Kerala
There is one state in which the organization of Congress resembles that of a cadre-based political party. No, not in Karnataka. It is the state of Kerala. The reason is that the parliamentary structure there evolved in response to the CPI(M) leadership. They had to. That’s how they survived, but as the last assembly elections showed, today they are weakened even in Kerala.
Just as the Congress developed a new organizational structure in Kerala in response to the CPI(M), it needs to do so nationally in response to the post-2014 BJP.
Learn from the BJP
Today’s Bharatiya Janata Party has such a strong party organization that we rarely hear about the role of Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) workers in the party’s election campaigns anymore. It is well known that the BJP has expanded its party structure manifold since his 2014. What is less appreciated is what this organization does.
Critics and analysts have focused on the media as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speeches and campaigning as factors in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory. However, the large army of party members going door to door is not appreciated.
A common man cannot reach Narendra Modi or Rahul Gandhi. For ordinary people, the party means the party members who live next door. All year round, party members do everything they can to help the people at the polls. As a result, it is the party members who can attract the Bharatiya Janata Party’s votes as a personal favor.
BJP’s tech-savvy army
This always applies to political parties. Apart from increasing the number of party workers to his massive 20 per booth, the BJP has centralized this force and turbocharged it with technology. Party officials are given regular campaign duties, visiting households at least once a month. Be it G20, Ram Mandir or free grains, party workers will take the message everywhere.
If the Bharatiya Janata Party still loses some state elections, it is because of narrative issues such as anti-incumbency and leadership challenges that the party cannot defend in certain circumstances, such as a lightweight chief ministerial challenge. This is because they may suffer. However, even in such a scenario, the Bharatiya Janata Party always maintains a high vote share, thanks to the workers who bring in votes.
Workers are responsible for their tasks to the central party leadership and not to local leaders. The BJP manages this centralization through technology. Lately, the party has been using an app called ‘Saral’ where employees can upload selfies and reveal that they have actually organized small rallies to let people hear their bi-weekly PM Modi episodes. Need to prove it. Mann Ki Baat show. If a worker is not performing well, a replacement can be appointed. After all, the party does not lack cadres.
Risk of changing loyalty
In contrast, a single Congressional official at a polling place is accountable to local Congressional leaders. If the Congress leader switches to the Bharatiya Janata Party, so will the workers and the votes she may command.
There is no reason why the Congress should not or cannot create a new centralized party organization like the BJP. In fact, I would go one step further and argue that a long-term revival of the National Congress party is impossible unless workers create a new centralized, technology-driven party organization that takes responsibility for door-to-door campaigning through technology. I’m going to say that.
it doesn’t matter if, but when. Now is a good time to start.
(Naresh Arora is a seasoned political strategist. He has worked for the Congress party in Haryana, Assam, Karnataka and Rajasthan assembly elections)
Disclaimer: These are the author’s personal opinions.