Congress, the Grand Old Party of Indian politics, is facing its worst ever existential crisis in recent times, after a stream of resignations by some of its top upcoming leaders. The most recent one(among the many in recent period) was the sudden exit of former union minister Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh or RPN, known to be a close confidante of the undeclared boss of the party, Rahul Gandhi. RPN’s sudden exit has also come as another slap in the face of the party in UP where it is battling to survive amidst desertions. The former Union minister’s resignation is sure to cast a question mark on the leadership capabilities of Priyanka Vadra, who is the Congress general secretary in-charge of UP. RPN is one of the senior leaders of the party in the state and his resignation comes barely a fortnight ahead of the seven-phase state assembly election commencing on February 10. His resignation comes on the heels of another party leader from UP itself Jitin Prasada, who quit in June 2021 and these raise serious question mark over Priyanka for failing to keep the flock together. Several leaders, who have left the Congress in UP, have raised fingers at the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka- the party’s high command. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, a major Brahmin face and then UP Congress president, left the party and joined the BJP in 2016.Rita has been openly criticising the functioning of Rahul Gandhi in party affairs that had led the party adrift. UP is a very crucial state for influencing national politics especially with regard to who gets to become the prime minister. While the BJP and SP have been dealing all matters involving UP with a sense of clarity, purposefulness, maturity and leadership, the Congress on the whole has been focussed on the star appeal of the Gandhis. Those important Congress leaders who have left the party is growing longer includes: former president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Ranjit Deshmukh ; Tripura royal scion and then state Congress president Prodyut Debbarma resigned in 2019 when the party high command took a dim view of his PIL against the CAA. He was also a critic of AFSPA which the Congress has not taken any clear stand. Another Rahul confidante from Tamil Nadu, Khushbu Sundar quit in 2020; Tom Vadakkan (spokeperson), Priyanka Chaturvedi(Spokesperson), Abhijit Mukherjee(son of Pranab Mukherjee), Luizinho Falerio(former CM Goa); Congress Mahila President Sushmita Dev daughter of Congress veteran from Silchar Santosh Mohan dev ; Lalitesh Tripathi UP Congress vice president and great grandson of Kamlapati Tripathi. Veteran Punjab leader Jagmeet Singh Brar quit the Congress in 2015 after having served the party for 35 years. He was suspended for suggesting that both Sonia and Rahul do some serious introspection for the party humiliating defeat in the 2014 polls. Party spokesperson Sanjay Jha was suspended for suggesting some reform in the party. In Punjab the humiliating treatment from Rahul and Priyanka forced Congress chief minister and veteran party leader Captain Amarinder to quit. While the Gandhi siblings believe that a new Congress will emerge after the exit of those they accused of being “power-hungry leaders”, others feel the party is on a free-fall but the Gandhis, like emperor Nero, are unwilling to prevent disaster. For Modi and the BJP, a sinking Congress ship is an unprecedented bonus.
