Unfortunately for India's grand old party and now the main Opposition, a perception that is increasingly gaining ground is: the Congress(I) is inert, unable to provide any real resistance to the Government ....

The inaction on the part of the Congress(I) is all the more glaring as it comes at the most inopportune of moments for the party. The NDA Government appears to be losing much of its shine as it begins to commit mistakes. Whether it is the flip-flop on the J&K autonomy issue, its inability to contain the lunatic fringe in the Sangh Parivar or the unseemly controversy created by Mr. Ram Jethmalani's outburst against not only the Government but the members of the judiciary as well. Normally developments such as these would be milked by an alert Opposition. But so far the Congress(I) has given little indication of moving in for the kill. Be it the economic policy, or the takeover of cultural institutions by the Sangh Parivar's apologists, the Congress(I) response has by and large been meek and lethargic.

At the core of the Congress(I)'s problem is its ideological and tactical confusion. Having launched a high voltage campaign against the Government for its alleged mishandling of the Kargil episode, the party drew a lot of flak for being negative. Now it appears to have gone into a shell, and is content playing the role of a constructive Opposition.

On the economic front, its agenda has been hijacked by the Government. Ideologically, the Congress(I) has been unable so far to recreate space for itself. Tactically too it has not been combative enough or quick enough in its thinking. The leadership is unable to act quickly because of the structured decision- making process of the party. It has, been unable to pin the Government down on economic issues or for that matter launch a sustained public agitation on economic policies, because much of what the Government is doing was initiated by the Congress(I) when in power. The party is wary of being accused of political expediency if it attacks the very policies it initiated ...

... As a result of the lack of clarity on the issue the party could not come up with a cogent strategy in Parliament during the Budget session. It cut a sorry figure with even its half-hearted attempts to move cut-motions over-ruled by the Speaker.

... It has five State Governments implementing exactly the same policies that the Centre is following; hence it cannot hope to abandon the reforms process. What it has been seeking to do, without a great degree of success, is to stress that the process that it initiated is different from that of the BJP. For instance, on disinvestment, the Congress(I) says it is all for it but is opposed to privatisation.

What sets the Congress(I) really apart from the BJP is its secular agenda. While the party has been consistent in its criticism of atrocities against the minorities, it has strangely enough not taken the issue to the people. It has also not focussed sharply enough on the way the Sangh Parivar has packed cultural and educational bodies with its sympathisers.

The Congress(I) outside Parliament has lost touch with agitational politics. For far too long, it has been a party in power; now its leaders lack the reflexes or the stomach to take to the streets.

The party met with success the only time it shed its lethargy and adopted a pro-active approach. On the issue of the Gujarat Government permitting its employees to attend RSS shakhas, the Congress(I) put up a stout resistance both in the State Assembly and in Parliament refusing to allow the Houses to function for days. The Centre finally had to back down and force the Keshubhai Government to rescind its order. In what is perhaps its longest spell out of office, the Congress(I)'s sense of timing appears to have deserted it. On the J&K autonomy issue ... the party failed to derive political advantage ...

For the Congress(I) to get back on its feet, the party needs new and alternative ideas and to draw up a strategic vision and dovetail that with sound tactics to regain the political ground it has conceded to its rivals ... Having ruled the country for over four decades, most of its leaders appear have stopped thinking, being used to briefs from aides ... What the party needs is a think-tank to develop a position on issues and present alternatives so that a decision can be taken quickly ...

. Till that happens, the Congress(I) continues to give the impression of being a party in government rather than the principal Opposition. The popular perception remains that rather than adopt a more combative attitude it is content with posturing.

The hallow around the Government may be wearing thin ... "not because of the Congress(I) but despite it". (Source: The Hindu, 30 July, 2000)