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India's Congress party officials rally around Gandhis before polls inquest India's Congress party refuses to accept resignations of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi
(about 4 hours later)
The leadership of India's Congress party is to meet in New Delhi to discuss the causes of its crushing defeat in last week's general election, with its two most senior officials, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, facing criticism over their failed campaign strategy. India's Congress party has refused to accept the resignation of its two most senior figures, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, following its crushing defeat in last week's general election.
Congress suffered its worst-ever defeat in the poll, claiming just 44 seats in the 543-member parliament, as the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) swept to power with the first majority in Indian politics in 30 years. Congress, which has been in power for all but 18 years since India won its independence from Britain in 1947, was reduced to a historic low in the poll, claiming just 44 seats in the 543-member parliament as the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) swept to power with the first majority in Indian politics in 30 years.
Indian analysts have described the result as "revolutionary" and "a democratic asteroid" that has fundamentally altered the political landscape of the emerging economic power. Indian analysts have described the result as revolutionary and "a democratic asteroid" that has fundamentally altered the political landscape of the emerging economic power.
"It is a game-changer … a radical shift in the social bases of power, that is not transitory but long-term … A new era is upon us," wrote Professor Ashutosh Varshney, of Brown University, in the Indian Express newspaper. "It is a game-changer – a radical shift in the social bases of power that is not transitory but long-term. A new era is upon us," wrote Professor Ashutosh Varshney, of Brown University, in the Indian Express newspaper.
Officials of the Congress party, which has been in power for all but 18 years since India won its independence from Britain in 1947, have sought to protect Sonia Gandhi, the 67-year-old party president, and Rahul, her 43-year-old son and vice-president, from blame for the defeat. Congress party officials have sought to protect Sonia Gandhi, the 67-year-old party president, and Rahul, her 43-year-old son and vice-president, from blame for the defeat.
Rahul, a Cambridge-educated former management consultant, has struggled to connect with voters and failed to develop any significant momentum throughout the campaign. Congress officials have nonetheless rallied around the two most prominent members of south Asia's most famous political dynasty.Rahul, a Cambridge-educated former management consultant, has struggled to connect with voters and failed to develop any significant momentum throughout the campaign. Congress officials have nonetheless rallied around the two most prominent members of south Asia's most famous political dynasty.
"This is not about one particular leader or individual," said Salman Soz, a party official, as results became clear last week. Both mother and son offered to resign at a meeting of the top decision-making body of the party in Delhi.
Indian media reports had suggested that both leaders would offer to step down, but their resignation would almost certainly be rejected by colleagues. "Sonia and Rahul offered to resign, but the Congress working committee rejected it," said Amarinder Singh, a senior party leader from Punjab.
There has also been speculation that senior Congress figures could call for a greater role in the party for Rahul's younger sister, Priyanka, who entered campaigning late in the election campaign and is seen as a more effective communicator than her brother.There has also been speculation that senior Congress figures could call for a greater role in the party for Rahul's younger sister, Priyanka, who entered campaigning late in the election campaign and is seen as a more effective communicator than her brother.
"Where does the question of either the Congress president or vice-president resigning even arise?" the outgoing Congress minister Manish Tiwari asked on the CNN-IBN channel on Monday. "It is a collective responsibility for all of us as a whole," he added. "Most political parties do not think the removal of the leader is the solution to the problem," said Mani Shankar Aiyar, on NDTV, a local television channel.
Congress took power in 2004 at the head of a centre-left coalition. Its defeat has been attributed to a sharp economic slowdown, rising food prices and a series of corruption scandals, as well as Rahul being comprehensively overshadowed by the energetic and effective BJP leader, 63-year-old Narendra Modi.Congress took power in 2004 at the head of a centre-left coalition. Its defeat has been attributed to a sharp economic slowdown, rising food prices and a series of corruption scandals, as well as Rahul being comprehensively overshadowed by the energetic and effective BJP leader, 63-year-old Narendra Modi.
Modi, who comes from a humble provincial background and once sold tea to make a living, repeatedly attacked the dynastic rule of the Gandhis and was able to tap into widespread hunger for jobs and development, while offering a message of aspiration and ambition to the young electorate.Modi, who comes from a humble provincial background and once sold tea to make a living, repeatedly attacked the dynastic rule of the Gandhis and was able to tap into widespread hunger for jobs and development, while offering a message of aspiration and ambition to the young electorate.
Ashok Malik, a Delhi-based analyst, told the Guardian before the polls that the party's campaign rhetoric showed how Congress had failed to adjust to huge changes in India in recent decades, where younger voters were now more impressed by the opportunities a candidate appeared to offer them than the achievements of his forebears.Ashok Malik, a Delhi-based analyst, told the Guardian before the polls that the party's campaign rhetoric showed how Congress had failed to adjust to huge changes in India in recent decades, where younger voters were now more impressed by the opportunities a candidate appeared to offer them than the achievements of his forebears.
Following the victory, the senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the "politics of accomplishment" had replaced the "politics of inheritance".Following the victory, the senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the "politics of accomplishment" had replaced the "politics of inheritance".
Other analysts spoke of urbanisation, rising literacy, growing if unequal prosperity and the decline of old instinctive deference towards supposed "social superiors" as underpinning the failure of Congress and Gandhi to connect with voters. Other analysts spoke of urbanisation, rising literacy, growing if unequal prosperity and the decline of old instinctive deference towards supposed social superiors as underpinning the failure of Congress and Gandhi to connect with voters.
"The dynasty per se is finished. It will be a long slow death but it is incredibly difficult to see them recover from here," said Ramachandra Guha, an Indian political historian and commentator. "The dynasty per se is finished. It will be a long, slow death but it is incredibly difficult to see them recover from here," said Ramachandra Guha, an Indian political historian and commentator.
Observers say the Congress party is currently split between an "old guard", which blames Rahul Gandhi and his advisers for the defeat and a "young guard", which believes the party's failure to introduce radical internal reforms is the problem.