Thread by @netamunch

A thread: What is the @INCIndia to do ahead?

There has been flurry of writings, tweets and interviews that have speculated on the possible future of @INCIndia - ranging from 'continuing ahead as usual' to 'hope' to explanation in terms of radicalization in Hindus 1/n

There is a sense of anger and grief. Exemplified here by @Schandillia at the large section of population that has endorsed #BJP whose policies hurt these voters more. 2/n

https://twitter.com/Schandillia/status/1502169457292357634

Then the brilliant incisive analysis looking at the patterns of Hindi voter, something I myself mostly agree with by @ShivamShankarS , the author of very engaging Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities.
3/n

https://twitter.com/ShivamShankarS/status/1502130558163304448

This is something I agree with as much there has been a rise of a new type of voter that has been largely ignored. Hindi Belt's obsession with 'caste dynamics' is reflection of the caste-riddenness of their societies. 4/n

This is so obvious that even Hindi Belt commentators search and try to look for these caste dynamics in rest of India as an understanding that the rest of india is just "UP with adjustments". 5/n

The new voter that has come up is qualitatively different from what has been seen largely in last 70 years. I call it a captive voter: one that:
(a) votes for only one party;
(b) never questions his party;
(c) never lets others question his party. 6/n

BJP clearly is the 'captive voter' party with three sub-sets: first, Modipujaks, that is voters that are primarily drawn to worship of #Modi as the chosen one; second, Andhbhakts, that broadly subscribe to the larger #BJP #Hindutva worldview; 7/n

third, kattar hindus - or Hindu fanatics - a subset of Hindus that want to see disenfranchisement of Muslims, replacement of current constitutional democracy with hindu theocracy and actively promote supremacy of Hindus vis-a-vis others. 8/n

Of course, there is an overlap between these three voters. But these voters exist. Their presence gives #BJP the voice and the ability to set new normal at the ground level that completely imbalances the discourse. 9/n

I call this Hindi Belt's Ongoing Century of Darkness. My thread specifically on this. 10/n

https://twitter.com/netamunch/status/1501948995035230212

@PalshikarSuhas nails this point bang-on that the current discourse has denied the rise of the pro-hindutva voter for too long to its detriment of both understanding our society and also formulating a response to BJP. His Excellent piece is must read. 11/n

https://twitter.com/seemay/status/1502140744408399879

Here @PalshikarSuhas has argued that the average voter has embraced the pro-hindutva identity and also embraced the cult of personality as primary means and mode of engaging with elections. 12/n

As a conclusion, he asks a genuine question that can anti-BJP parties formulate an ambitious plan to bring back our functional constitutional democracy or do they opt-in to the #BJP worldview becoming a tamer or lighter version of #BJP 13/n

This is one key question and two key patterns that @INCIndia have not been able to deliver in last eight years.
I would return to this at the end of the thread. 14/n

On the ones calling @INCIndia out specifically are for example, its former CM from #Punjab (who also in the process wrecked his own departure from political life by tying up, among all possibilities, with #BJP) 15/n

https://twitter.com/capt_amarinder/status/1502171989145886721

But its a sentiment not restricted to him alone. The sharp @HartoshSinghBal here 16/n

https://twitter.com/HartoshSinghBal/status/1501897892726026245

@kapskom echoes the same sentiment here 17/n

https://twitter.com/kapskom/status/1501929729888178187

Like him or dislike him, Pratap Bhanu Mehta reflects on the incompetence of Opposition (and in given climate, Congress's) as a failure to stand against #BJP 18/n

indianexpress.com/article/opinio…

This point comes out even more clearly in @AdityaMenon22 microscopic look at the debacle of #Congress in #PunjabElections2022
a #mustread for anyone who wants to understand India beyond the Godi media's paradigm of "India as UP with adjustments" 19/n
thequint.com/punjab-electio…

@AdityaMenon22 grapples with the key questions around Punjab elections trying to locate the cause which led to the rout of Congress.
What stands out is the oblivious leadership for 4.5 years and series of poorly thought decisions in last one year 20/n

The subtext of this is that #AAP replaces #Congress even as it sets up a competition against #BJP very much taking the second path of being #BJP-lite that @PalshikarSuhas discusses in his essay 21/n

Here @raghav_chadha articulates this specifically that #AAP is natural replacement of Congress. This would have been wishful thinking prior to the landslide victory in Punjab easily dismissed as posturing for #TRP 22/n

But a look at Delhi where Congress enjoyed nearly 40 percent vote share back in 2008 only to be reduced to 4 percent in 2020 confirms that #AAP attempts to capture what @PrashantKishor has famously called 'the idea and space' that Congress represents 23/n

https://twitter.com/PrashantKishor/status/1466305185215438849

Returning to #AAP , Jasmine Shah reiterates the same point regarding #AAP as national alternative to Congress in North India at @BDUTT online program @themojostory 24/n

In a tongue in cheek remark #TMC offers #Congress to merge with it so as to have a chance at putting up a strong front against #BJP (continued)
scroll.in/latest/1019261…

Continued Thread: What is the @INCIndia to do ahead?

All this has led back to square one, what is the #Congress to do ahead? 26/n

@rasheedkidwai reflects on this question here, "Restoration of inner party democracy, identification of issues that touch the hearts and minds of the people can serve as guiding principles" 27/n

news9live.com/india/congress…

@Barugaru1 argues for more collaborative approach and to recognize its current situation as a regional party needing a total rethink. 28/n

He further argues that @RahulGandhi is no longer in position to deliver victories against #BJP .
An aspect, to be fair, to many critiques of Gandhis quite obvious in view of the non-performance in elections 29/n

@TheDeshBhakt puts the frustration out in the simplest words ranging from criticism around narratives, promises, handling internal feuds, poor candidate selection and the list goes on 30/n

In all series of issues come out clearly that #Congress needs to address:
1 what should be the criteria for internal appointments and promotions?
2 what about internal democracy ranging from discussion on issues and actions taken? 31/n

To the skeptical, I refer the Calcutta session of 1930 where the Complete Independence. A shortened version can read from pages 556 from the history of Indian National Congress 32/n archive.org/details/TheHis…

In short, it shows a culture of open debate, purposeful engagement on each issue with public statement in support of motions or changes and assessment (inc feedback) on series of work done undertaken and done in last year. 33/n

This is not merely a question of 'Image Management' that Godi media or others would like you to believe.

It reflects both responsibility and willingness to engage with real decisions as the basis for legitimacy for leadership. 34/n

In simple terms, legitimacy is the overall confidence and approval for actions that are validly done (for propaganda supported actions cannot be classified as legitimate, even if it gains approval. for example, hijab row) 35/n

The current crisis of Congress is therefore of this absence of strong legitimate leadership. Note by leadership i dont mean a 'cult of personality' in terms of #Modi or others but a presentation of team of people (who may individual differences in policy) but cooperate 36/n

The success of #BJP has been demolishing of these 'practices of democracy' and its replacement with cheapened version of Image Management. This Image Management is not just hypocritical but utterly counterproductive as can be seen from results in #UP 37/n

In Image Management, by polarizing the society, setting up propaganda through control of TV and print media and projecting partial information or unrealism, can enable victories in election. 38/n

But since there is neither any accountability (like direct questioning) or responsibility (making certain individuals responsible for the actions or inactions), what the public gets is permanent advertising as a substitute for governance. 39/n

Therefore for #Congress @INCIndia to have an opportunity to challenge #BJP it needs to bring back the practices of democracy ranging from deliberation, open discussion and participation. 40/n

If pre-independence Congress is a model seen too old or idealistic (unbelievable that with all advancements in technology, current generation of Congress thinks so), it can look at Labor Party Convention in UK 41/n

The idea being that the Congress party needs to be able to demonstrate legitimacy (not just in terms of closed club of people deciding who is the head of their club) but in terms of effective engagement with cross-section of public 42/n

@INCIndia is at cross-roads. If it doesnt come up with a mechanism, including specific practices that ropes in ground-level workers, domain experts and their funders into a cohesive program that can openly discuss the issue of the day using 'practices of democracy' 43/n

then it will face far tougher time in competing with #BJP that is actively working to decimate Congress whether in elections or through Godi media and from the putative replacements who are eyeing if not the idea then the 'space' that is left open in North India. 44/n

any ideas, comments welcome!
n/n

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