Every political party makes mistakes, but the smart ones learn from them and move forward. The growth and success of any party must reflect on past mistakes and use them as stepping stones for progress. The Congress could not maintain momentum after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections six months ago when it doubled its seats. What caused the decline in its performance? Did the Congress party, the oldest in India, fail to seize opportunities for learning and adaptation?

Did the NCP and the Uddhav faction of the Shiv Sena misinterpret the signals? Did the BJP make errors in Jharkhand? The recent results from the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections reveal missed growth opportunities. Two things stand out in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls. The first is the size of the BJP-led NDA win in Maharashtra, defeating the NCP and Uddhav Shiv Sena, both of which had ruled Maharashtra earlier, and the ease with which Hemant Soren retained Jharkhand. Both were ruling their respective states. The alliance could have performed better if Congress had learned from past experiences and made necessary adjustments. Unlike the Pachmarhi or Shimla conclaves, there has been a lack of post-election analysis. Congress must address this lack of introspection. It could not have been due to a generational change, as change is constant.

The succeeding generations must work to take the party forward. The Grand Old Party is entirely under the control of Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, and his chosen associates. Rahul worked hard and campaigned, but the party must still get voters to the polling booths. The results suggest they have not learnt from mistakes of the recent Haryana Assembly elections, such as relying heavily on one leader, ignoring the others, and the wrong distribution of tickets, despite being in a winning position. The most crucial aspect the Congress Party, NCP and the Uddhav faction of Shiv Sena must address is the narrative. For the Congress, the focus on caste issues, defending the Constitution, and making personal attacks on the Prime Minister has not resonated with the voters.

This disconnect is a clear sign that the party needs to reevaluate its strategy and focus on issues that truly matter to the electorate, such as the bread and butter problems. It is a pressing concern that needs alignment. Even within the INDIA alliance, there are frictions now. After the recent results, partners in the INDIA bloc like AAP and the Trinamool Congress are pursuing their own agendas and show little interest in joint action for the current winter session of Parliament. Even earlier, Rahul Gandhi’s attack on Savarkar did not garner any support for Congress; instead, it created friction between the Shiv Sena, which idolised Savarkar, and Congress.

These parties also did not realise the political impact of the BJP’s parent organisation, RSS, which worked for the party’s success. The INDIA bloc did not specify the issues as they did during the Lok Sabha elections, focusing solely on defeating the BJP and its allies. This strategy influenced the Lok Sabha results, forcing the BJP to form a government with the support of two regional parties, the JD(U) and the Telugu Desam Party. The Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar must feel disheartened after losing his party and the election to his nephew, Ajit Pawar, whom he groomed. The warning signs became clear when Ajit joined the BJP, betraying his uncle to help form the government.

The situation worsened when the Election Commission recognised Ajit’s faction as the real NCP, despite Sharad Pawar having founded and led the party to power multiple times. This decision severely undermined Pawar. The same applies to Uddhav Thackeray, son of Sena founder Bal Thackeray, who succeeded his father, lost the party and the elections to rebel Eknath Shinde, who helped BJP form the government in Maharashtra in a coalition. Both must introspect about what led to their loss of popularity. On the other hand, JMM, a partner in the INDIA bloc, has demonstrated how to win despite numerous challenges.

JMM Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife, Kalpana, faced several hardships, including a jail sentence for Soren. In India, elections occur almost continuously in one state or the other. So, the election season has not ended. The immediate test will be the Rajya Sabha elections for six seats on December 20. The NDA is expected to win five of the six seats, while the Trinamool Congress will likely secure one.

This might result in NDA getting the majority in the Upper House, which could further weaken the Congress Party’s position in the Parliament. There are eight vacancies four in the nomination category and four in Jammu and Kashmir. Ultimately, wins and losses in elections are seen all over the world. Every election reveals the mistakes and successes of the players. But the real winner is the one who rectifies his mistakes without losing time. Winners must not become complacent, while losers need to stay motivated.