Congress Relies on Old Leaders for Maharashtra & Jharkhand Elections

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. Congress is relying on old leaders, who have underperformed in recent elections, for upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections.
2. Leaders like Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, and Charanjit Singh Channi, who have faced recent defeats, are again in charge.
3. Despite setbacks in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, Congress continues its strategy of placing the same leaders in key roles.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

In the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, the Congress leadership has once again chosen senior leaders with weak recent track records. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was tasked with preventing the BJP from securing power in Haryana, failed to deliver and led Congress to a defeat. Despite this, Gehlot has been assigned a key role in the Maharashtra elections.

Similarly, Bhupesh Baghel, who led Congress to a loss in Chhattisgarh, has been selected for Maharashtra, while Charanjit Singh Channi, who failed in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, is also on the election duty. This raises significant questions about Congress’s strategy, as it continues to rely on these veteran leaders, despite their poor performances in recent polls.

Even after its defeat in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, where the party had promised introspection, Congress continues to appoint these same leaders. In Maharashtra, where Congress faces stiff competition from the BJP, these leaders, many of whom have either lost elections or no longer hold strong grassroots support, are back in charge.

In Jharkhand, the same trend can be seen. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who lost his stronghold Baharampur seat, is now one of the senior observers for the state. Congress also appointed senior observers for Maharashtra, but unlike Jharkhand, coordinators have also been chosen for Maharashtra.

This repetitive strategy by Congress shows that the party is reluctant to bring fresh faces into leadership roles, continuing to rely on leaders who have already faced electoral setbacks. The larger question remains—why is Congress so unwilling to elevate new and capable leaders while depending on the “tired and retired” in critical roles?

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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