While the Congress faces an unsettling defeat in the assembly elections of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, netizens take it to social media to slam the campaigning tactics of the party.
Many including artists and journalists severely criticised the outright display of Hindu symbols catering to the sentiments of the majority during the current election campaign. It was also pointed out that mimicking the modus operandi of the BJP in playing up to the majoritarian sensibilities has not helped the Congress party in reaping electoral rewards.
In recent years, this imitative tendency to win votes using borrowed techniques of Hindutva has gained Congress the tag of “Soft Hindutva”.
Saba Naqvi, a senior journalist called out the Congress leaders of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh referring to their failure in providing a substantial counter to the BJP.
“Both Kamalnath and Bhupesh Baghel tried Hindutva posturing so people just chose the original,” she wrote mockingly on the social media platform X.
“It’s a tragedy that keeps repeating itself. Congress simply refuses to understand that you can’t fight the Sanghis outside until you get rid of the Sanghis within you. There will be another election, and Congress supporters will once again make excuses for their Soft Hindutva. Once or twice is fine, but this stupidity has been going on for nearly ten years,” Darab Farooqui, a Bollywood screenwriter said on X.
Reacting to the posts, many others argued how repeating the Karnataka strategy has helped Congress repeat the victory in Telangana. It was also suggested that only a campaign based on direct ideological opposition to the BJP would help them win in the long run.
“I thank the people of Telangana for the mandate we have received from them. I also thank all those who voted for us in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Our performance in these three states have no doubt been disappointing, but with determination, we reaffirm our strong resolve to rebuild and revive ourselves in these three states,” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on X.
