Congress in Freefall: A Colossal Decline and An Uncertain Future

The Congress and its alliance have faced a colossal failure in these elections, and it seems like the pre-2024 and post-2014 Congress is back in the electoral arena. In just six months this is the second consecutive defeat of Congress and the upswing the party saw in Lok Sabha elections has faded away. The so-called “Grand Old Party” is now reduced to dust.

The Consistent Bad Performance

In December last year, the party saw a colossal defeat in three major states Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh . In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP returned with a thumping majority securing 162 seats, improving its total tally of 109 seats in 2018. The Congress has since then faced only defeat, barring a few states like Telangana.

From December 2023 to November 2024 the Congress has seen nothing but defeat. Arguably the Congress performed well in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as compared to 2014 and 2019. However, it should be taken into account that the Congress managed to win only 99 seats in 2024 and the party has been out of power for over 10 years now.

In the Lok Sabha elections as well, in 216 direct fights with the BJP, the Congress managed to win just 62 seats. In Haryana as well, the Congress faced a humiliating defeat and the party circled back to its losing spree like a “jalebi”. While Congress workers and leaders started premature celebrations, their party was closing in towards a defeat. The Congress only managed to win 37 seats and the BJP got a clear majority with 48 seats. The BJP secured 8 seats more than what it scored in the last elections despite being weighed under heavy anti-incumbency.

Maharashtra and Bypolls Debacle

The Congress has continued its streak of massive losses; it has touched a new low of 16 seats in Maharashtra, its worst-ever performance in the state. As the prime minister said “Congress khud ki hi nahi apne saathiyo ki bhi naiya duba deti hai (Congress not only sinks its own boat but also that of its allies)”, the Congress and its allies have got only 46 seats, which is even lesser than the total seats of the Shiv Sena (Shinde), which got 57 seats.

The results from 415 assembly seats in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and other state bypolls, highlight the stark contrast between India’s major national parties. The BJP won 167 seats with a 40.2% win rate, while the Congress secured only 39 seats at a 9% win rate, underscoring the BJP’s dominance and Congress’s continuous decline.

The Congress party’s persistent decline across states, its inability to retain voters’ confidence, and its failure to counter the BJP’s momentum reflect a deeper crisis of leadership, strategy, and vision. While the BJP has solidified its position as a dominant national force, the Congress’s performance signals its return to the pre-2024 struggles. The party has not only failed to capitalize on its brief resurgence in the Lok Sabha elections but has also dragged its allies down, subsequently weakening opposition alliances.

If the Congress does not undertake a radical overhaul—moving beyond dynasty politics, reconnecting with the grassroots, and addressing its leadership vacuum—it risks further irrelevance in India’s evolving political landscape. The results from Maharashtra and other states underline a harsh reality that the Congress is no longer the pillar of opposition it once was, but a crumbling shadow of its former self.