The struggle for power in Karnataka has become the cause of Congress’s demise. The ongoing tussle for the post of Chief Minister clearly shows that Congress is no longer concerned with discipline. The weakness of power remains the reason for the disintegration of the Congress. Shivkumar faction is demanding implementation of the decided formula at the time of government formation in 2023. It is certain that if Shivakumar does not get the post of Chief Minister of Karnataka, a situation of rebellion will arise in the party. This is not the first time that there is a tussle over power in the Congress. Congress has disintegrated 70 times since its inception. Many big leaders have left the party. The party is going through its worst phase.
After the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the crisis within the Congress is deepening. Leave aside the electoral successes in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the condition of the country’s oldest party seems to be in a dilapidated condition in the last 8 years. On one hand, Congress was preparing for the election of its national president, while on the other hand, the supporters of Ashok Gehlot, the contender for this post, had raised the flag of rebellion. Sachin Pilot, who had rebelled with 28 MLAs, is now seen as the warlord of the Congress, while on the other hand, Ashok Gehlot, who is very close to the Gandhi family, raised his hands on the rebellion of his own supporting MLAs.
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The history of dissensions and rebellions in Congress is a long one. The history of the Congress is full of such incidents when the Congress party’s power has been ruined. From Motilal Nehru and Subhash to Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress has a history of rebellions and ruptures. The Congress was formed on 28 December 1985 under the chairmanship of British officer AO Huon. It also included Dada Bhai Naoroji and Dinsha Wacha. Vyomesh Chandra Banerjee was made the first President of Congress. The purpose of forming the Congress was to establish dialogue between the British government and the leaders and general public of India. But later this party became the most prominent platform of the freedom movement.
In the year 1922, due to Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhiji had withdrawn the non-cooperation movement. Some leaders within the Congress did not like this because they felt that. This movement was on the verge of overthrowing the British government. After this, Gaya Congress session was held in the same year in which it was decided that Congress leaders would not take part in the Legislative Council elections. Chittaranjan Das became angry with this decision. The special thing was that the session was being held under his chairmanship. He left Congress. Next year i.e. in 1923, he along with Narsingh Chintaman Kelkar and Motilal Nehru Bithalbhai Patel formed the Congress Swarajya Party. Whose president Chittaranjan Das and general secretary Motilal Nehru were made secretaries.
Gandhiji did not agree with the policies of Subhash Chandra Bose. He wanted to make someone else the Congress President in place of Subhash. But Subhash Chandra Bose wanted to become such a president who would not lose the opportunity to snatch power from the British. At that time, prominent personalities of the country also wanted to see Subhash Chandra Bose on the post of Congress President. But Gandhiji fielded Pattabhi Sitaramaiya for the elections. It was believed that Pattabhi Sitaramayya would easily win the elections because he had the blessings of Gandhiji. But the results were shocking to Gandhiji. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had won the election by 203 votes. But despite being the President, Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from the post of Congress President due to factionalism within the Congress. In 1939, he formed a separate party named All India Forward Bloc.
Jeevatram Bhagwandas Kripalani i.e. JP Kripalani was one of the senior leaders of Congress. At the time of independence i.e. in the year 1947, Kripalani was the President of Congress. However, if we look at the events of that time, he disagreed with Nehru and Patel on the basis of principles. When the election for the post of Congress President was held in 1950, Nehru supported JP Kripalani. Whereas Sardar Patel was in favor of Purushottam Das Tandon. Purushottam Das Tandon won this election. Angered by the defeat and seeing Gandhiji’s dreams unfulfilled, JP Kripalani separated in 1951. He formed the Kisan Mazdoor Party. Later it merged with Samajwadi Party. C Rajagopalachari was the second Governor General of independent India and the first Indian Governor General. After the death of Sardar Patel, he was given the responsibility of Home Ministry. But due to differences in Congress, he formed the Indian National Democratic Party in 1956.
The biggest rebellion in the Congress occurred in 1959 and the party broke into Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Odisha. A few years later, Kerala Congress was formed under the leadership of KM George. In 1967, Chaudhary Charan Singh separated from the Congress and formed the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, which is today called RLD. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself was expelled from the Congress on 12 November 1969. This was the biggest event in the history of Congress. After this Indira formed the new Congress (R). Later it was named Congress I. At present it is this Congress which is called the Indian National Congress. In 1984, being angry with Rajiv Gandhi, Vishwanath Pratap Singh formed a party named Jan Morcha. After which it also got fragmented into many pieces due to which small parties like Janata Dal, Janata Dal (U), RJD and Samajwadi Party were born.
In the year 1999, there was another major rebellion in the Congress. Sharad Pawar formed National Congress, Mamata Banerjee formed TMC and YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh, Janata Congress, Biju Janata Dal in Odisha and PDP led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Jammu and Kashmir. Captain Amarinder Singh, who was a strong leader of the party in the Punjab Assembly elections last year 2021, also left the Congress and formed Punjab Lok Congress and a few days ago merged the party with BJP. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the main face of Congress in Parliament, also announced his separation from the Gandhi family and formation of a new party. A letter was also written on his behalf to Sonia Gandhi regarding the continuous defeat in the elections and the radical change in the party. It included 23 prominent leaders of the party. Ghulam Nabi Azad was accepted as the leader of the rebel group from that very day.
It has been continuously weakening in the last 10 years. Many big leaders have left the party. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill, Gujarat leaders, former Congress leaders Hardik Patel, Naresh Rawal and Raju Parmar, Kapil Sibal, former Punjab Congress President Sunil Jakhar, former Law Minister Ashwini Kumar, RPN Singh have left the party. Indecent conduct and corruption have become the destiny of Congress. Congress could not present any example against them. Congress is falling into disrepair due to the lax attitude of the leadership and lack of discipline. Greed for power has reduced Congress from the country to a few states. If Congress had taught a strong lesson to those who went against the party’s customs and policies, then there would have been no such situation of disunity for the sake of power.
– Yogendra Yogi
(This article expresses the author’s own views.)