What is stopping Congress to pin down Arvind Kejriwal over corruption?

New Delhi: The Congress has, it seems, faltered big time. The grand old party has been unable to pin down the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party despite repeated and major allegations of corruption being levelled against its top leadership, and many of its leaders landing in prison.

With four of Arvind Kejriwal’s top ministers, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in Delhi and Fauja Singh Sarari and Vijay Singla in Punjab, in a dock over corruption charges, the Congress needs to take a leaf out of the Bharatiya Janata Party's political notebook and seek back its voters from the AAP, sources said.  

Congress leaders believe that it is a golden opportunity for the party to reemerge in key areas like Delhi and Punjab, where the AAP grew at its expense and on false allegations against Congress’ leadership.

Sources in the party pointed out that, despite being in government twice, AAP has not been able to prove any charges that it had levelled against the then Congress chief minister Sheila Dikshit or her ministers. 

“AAP came to power riding on sentiments based on these trumped-up charges against Congress leadership. The Congress would do well in seeking Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation over corruption by his ministers now,” sources said.

The party is also witnessing frustration amongst its cadre on the issue that the Congress leadership has been unable to put this point across to the common people that AAP's win against Sheila Dikshit was a conspiracy enacted through maligning of its leaders without any evidence of corruption against her government.

There is a strong feeling that Congress needs to take on AAP more aggressively and it can be done by cornering Kejriwal on the corruption issue, sources said.

Arvind Kejriwal’s claims of being a “political party with a difference” need to be demolished by Congress. These claims and allegations have ensured AAP has grown at the expense of the grand old party in Delhi as well as Punjab, which needs to be reversed immediately, sources added.

While the Congress ceded its space in Delhi and Punjab to the AAP, its top leadership is seemingly unwilling to fight back and regain its rightful share in these regions. In the long term this will adversely affect Congress, which is already facing depletion of resources as well as a cadre willing to work for it in these regions, sources said.

Essentially, Congress lost all its vote share to the AAP, and unless it is willing to fight for it, these voters are not going to return on their own. This was witnessed in the recent Municipal Corporation of Delhi voting where Congress finished a distant third. A similar effect has also been witnessed in Punjab Assembly and Chandigarh municipal polls, where its voters moved to the AAP.

Factionalism, sidelining troubles for Congress

The Congress was unable to stop several of its senior leaders including, former Chief Minister Captain (retired) Amarinder Singh, former Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and former Leader of Opposition Sunil Jakhar, from deserting its ranks. Most of them had expressed displeasure over being sidelined or not being heard by the high command.

Many leaders believe that unless Congress curbs factionalism and backs its senior leaders, the situation will continue to remain bleak. Amongst the present leaders, no one seems to be thinking about the party or its long-term goals.

Sources stated that the downward spiral of the party can be halted if the state units are given ample time and backing. Unless the high command engages with leaders and backs them to take the battle to the next level, the Congress' future in Delhi and Punjab will continue to be haunted by the growth of the AAP.

Many feel that the Congress should target to win at least half of the 13 seats of Lok Sabha in Punjab and seven seats in Delhi in 2024. From a leading party in these regions where it used to win at least 10 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress party has come to almost nought and urgent steps are needed to reinstall the grand old party in Delhi and Punjab again.