Congress has been the ruling party of the country for 52 of the 64 post independence years.
Despite the controversies, emergency, corruption, ghost-leadership,bad governance, Congress continues to enjoy the public support (may be a little presumptuous in current scenario!)
So, what is it that Congress is doing right?
That it evolves with the changing time, national and world dynamics?
That it is the most secular political party that the minorities feel comfortable with?
Or, is it just that there is no other political party that can face and check the might of Congress?
Interesting topic and infact a case study for organisational purposes.
Congress's formidable uprising can be contributed to various factors among which are common and basic principles of human behaviour and social psychology.
# Congress as an organisation appeared at the scene when Indipendent movement was in infancy. Congress was founded by people who were influneced by western political philosophy. Many Britisheres were also involved in its founding process. By that time there was no recognised and organised political front in country. So we can infer that congress is relishing the fruit of first arrival. Any organisation/company/institute/person if arrives at most earlier times will always be ahead than its competitors. It helps in making a base for future. Its among one of core competencies.
# World was moving rapidly with the invention of technology and science in late 19th and early 20th centuary. Ideas, informations were getting reached to public faster than ever. In these situations many educated, socially active youth joined congress. Congress was percieved as lone redemption in a slave nation. It is simple when we see that a low self -esteem easily accepts and approve anything higher[ projected higher] than itself. Its acceptance in slave subdued low-self esteem was huge and with in short span of time it got approval of masses.
# Scene prior to 1920 was different. It was different because many stalwarts [ extremists and softs ] were fighting for power struggle with in organisation. During 20s Gopal Krishan Gokhle who almost had taken over extremists, baptised Mohandas Ghandi in to Congress. Since then it becamse @Ghandhi propreitership in this organisation. Keep in mind that Ghandi was reharsing his launch in Indian scanario since 1906. He almost had calculated everything prior to his arrival.[ Same can be related with current scenario. Sonia Ghandi waited for almost 7-8 years to enter in to active politics but she mimicked what Ghandi did. She never accepted any post in government alike Ghandhi. It sent a message to public that these guys are not power hungary. So image building/goodwill generation].
# Ghandhi was a master politician. he established the rules of Non-violence, peace etc. We ve seen aggression always leads to exhertion and eventually drying of resources. Plus to enjoy fruits of success one has to be alive and one can be alive if one follow the path of least resistence politically. Bhagat Singh and guys believed otherwise and hence didn't live longer to be in scenario.
# Post Indipendence there was again many big leaders in party up to late 60s. It was only and only congress rule. Ruling for almost 20-25 years has given congress the experience and skills to understand Indian psyche. Again in the same period with the help of govt machinery congress established its leaders [ Ghandhi n Nehru ] worshipable. Any wanna be politicians/leaders and workers wanted to enter in congress, personality worship was embeded in their mentality. It gave birth to an army of opportunist brilliant sycophants.Like a company product becomes a brand, same way congress has become a brand. Further this brand was placed highly so that people always try to pursue it. Few those who opposed Congress like Lohia, JP never get near to ruling regime.
# After Indira divided Congress to sideline some socio-political it was never looking back time for them. She ruthlessly ruled and press her rivals by every means. This time personality worship started heavily. Bureocrates started replacing their spine with rubber brand named congress and Ghandhi to enjoy power. Brand Congress was a monopoly and almost learned everything to be successful in political market.
# Assasination of Indira and Rajiv leaded to the wave of sympathy and established them as martyr for country. Congress exploited and exploiting these deaths to the maximum. A wave of sympathy always broke the rock developmental issues.
# PV Narsimha Rao reigme and 90s saw a sharp decline in Congress's popularity. Again reason was lack of party discipline. In my opinion they let it happen to minimum level so that people become desperate to again revival of this brand. Sonia became unaccessible to the population and this has increased the brand value and with Sita Ram kesri's time she decided to enter in to organisation. In a personality worship organisation this worked as high generation antibiotic and she resurrected the whole organisation. It has become a now an established fact that any organisation needs a face, a personality which charm people, attract them so that they can cast their vote in their favour. With their new reigme under UPA Sonia smartly appointed manager Manmohan to run this corporation which is a smart and clever move. In these 10 years Rahul Ghandhi will be groomed as a politician and if he wouldn't work they ve reserved option of Priyanka Ghandhi. Because of one supreme person in an organisation Congress became disciplined.
# Where as other partys or opposition never had a second third line of leaders, thinkers and negotiaters, Congress always had ex-bureaucrates, academicians and line of policy makers. Vajpayi reached at top post because of his own charm not because what BJP and Sangh has been doing for last 75 years. BJP the party of different philosophy only became the Party with differences in leadership.
# Since Congress initially was doctrined by Western political philosophers it is clear that they dagger the carot of divide and rule and it always workd. For example Congress in any state according to its regions/cast/religion would support three to four main leaders for CM so that every region gets maximum support ultimately to congress. In Haryana they ve bifurcated Ahirwal,Jat, Bangar and Dalit votes. every region is given a promise of their own CM. Its a smart and clever move to gather maximum votes.
From above mentioned points it can be easily concluded that congress is playing the game of emotions with sharp brain. What it has been doing right could be :-
a) Psychologicaly establish prominent leaders as angels.(Image Building)
b) Party president becomes unaccessable to the most.(Demand and supply)
c) Creating options in the form of various leaders (Future planning)
d) First arrival in India Scene( Crediblity)
e) Don't speak, keeping mum on serious and harmful issues unless they passes.( Understanding of Indian populace's ''forgetting'' nature)
f)
Ghandhisation of everything possible. [ Coming generation wouldn't believe otherwise, future planning]
g) Delay progress and then release minimum [ Demand and supply]
i) Congress I- See it, read it, believe it, and vote for it , Always!
Still I believe that the way Ghandhi delayed Indian indipendence, post indipendence Congress government has delayed the arrival of development. Present growth could ve been done in 70 and 80s as well.
Lord Acton said once,''
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.''
I agree partly as it could be a statement of dystopic mind. It could be repharsed in case of congress as ,''
Power teaches you to be wise to stay in power eternaly''. Congress seems to ve embibed it over the years. They play the game of emotions with clear and sharp mind.
Can you beat it?
