New Delhi: The emphatic triumph of the ruling Maha Yuti in Maharashtra and the impressive showing of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in Jharkhand on Saturday seems to vindicate the observation that the Congress is the weakest link in the I.N.D.I.A.

Earlier, Congress stumbled in the Haryana Assembly elections despite being strongly hopeful of a big victory against the incumbent BJP.

The party went on to blame the Election Commission for its loss in Haryana as the I.N.D.I.A. alliance members slammed it for less than impressive performance.

In Maharashtra, the Congress fielded candidates in 101 constituencies under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance but leads in just 19—an underwhelming strike rate.

Prolonged delays in finalizing seat-sharing arrangements, spanning three to four months, exposed its inefficiency as a lead coalition partner.

Suggestions from Sharad Pawar and other allies to project Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) as the chief ministerial candidate were dismissed outright by Congress.

As a result, the coalition could not cash in on a clear sympathy wave for Thackeray after the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.

Compounding matters, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s abrasive stance alienated alliance partners.

Meanwhile, the Maha Yuti—comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), and NCP (Ajit Pawar)—presented a unified front, while Congress faltered due to a weak organizational presence on the ground.

This poor performance is a major setback for Congress’ chief election strategist, Sunil Kanugolu, who had previously struggled in Haryana.

Telangana remains his only notable achievement, though many within the party attribute that success to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

In Jharkhand, Congress contested 30 seats and leads in 16, thanks primarily to the effective campaign run by the JMM under Hemant Soren.

The Congress’ disorganized campaign and weak election management threatened the alliance until the JMM took corrective steps.

Hemant Soren and his wife, Kalpana Soren, campaigned vigorously across all 81 constituencies, while Rahul Gandhi limited his efforts to Congress-contested seats.

Congress’ presence was barely noticeable in the state until just before the elections, with its promotional efforts failing to make an impact.

Rumors inside Jharkhand’s political circles indicate that Congress general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir sought to destabilize the alliance during seat-sharing talks.

It was only Rahul Gandhi’s last-minute intervention, meeting Soren in Ranchi, that salvaged the partnership.

Mir’s absence from the campaign, owing to his election in Jammu and Kashmir, further weakened Congress’ efforts.

Amid critical battles in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Congress leaders diverted their attention to Wayanad in Kerala, prioritizing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s by-poll campaign.

Her win was virtually guaranteed, yet resources were funnelled to the region as if it were a high-stakes contest.

Elsewhere, Congress struggled. It faced stiff competition in retaining its Nanded Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra but managed to secure Barnala in Punjab, courtesy of Partap Singh Bajwa. However, AAP won three of the other by-polls in the state.

In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah helped Congress clinch all three by-poll seats, quelling criticism over his alleged role in the MUDA land scam.

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress asserted its dominance by sweeping all six by-polls, despite a public outcry over the rape and murder of a medical student in Kolkata.

Looking ahead, the Congress’ performance makes it unlikely that AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal will consider an alliance with the party for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.

The developments, however, indicate that AAP will contest the polls independently.