Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from his position as the head of the Delhi Congress, citing disagreement with the party’s decision to form an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Historically, the Congress has often formed alliances with parties that have previously been in opposition, including the DMK, Samajwadi Party, and RJD—parties that have displaced Congress from power in their respective states.
Lovely expressed that this was unjust. His resignation as the Delhi Congress chief was a protest against the electoral collaboration with AAP and its potential consequences. As an experienced Congress leader, Lovely’s decision highlights a pattern within the Congress of forming alliances with former adversaries.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress’s alliances include parties like the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra—all of which have previously challenged Congress’s dominance in these states.
The partnership with AAP in Delhi, which Lovely criticized, is indicative of this trend. The AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, has significantly eroded the Congress’s voter base in Delhi, undermining what was once a stronghold for the party.
The Congress first faced defeat in major states like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar back in 1967. Unlike the BJP, the Congress has not managed to regain power independently in states where it has been defeated.
In the realm of political alliances, Congress has shown a willingness to collaborate with past rivals, even at the cost of personal grievances.
The Alliance with DMK and the Aftermath of Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassination The alliance between Congress and the DMK is particularly noteworthy. The DMK and its former leader M Karunanidhi were implicated in the assassination of Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi by the Jain Commission. Despite this, the Congress formed a pact with the DMK, which some view as a double standard.
Following the release of the Jain Commission’s extensive report, Congress withdrew its support from the IK Gujral government in November 1997, demanding the removal of DMK ministers from the Union Cabinet.
Today, the DMK is a close ally of Congress, aiding in the election of MPs to the Rajya Sabha and enhancing Congress’s presence in the Lok Sabha. This alliance has deep historical roots, dating back 50 years.
The DMK triumphed over Congress in the 1967 Tamil Nadu Assembly election, leading to CN Annadurai’s appointment as Chief Minister. The DMK supported the Indira Gandhi-led government during a split in the Congress in 1969. In a strategic move, Indira Gandhi called for an early general election in 1971 and allied with the DMK, despite their previous rivalry.
Since then, Tamil Nadu’s politics have been predominantly Dravidian, with the DMK and AIADMK alternating in power, often with Congress’s support. From a dominant force in Tamil Nadu politics, Congress has been relegated to a secondary role.
The Decline of Congress in Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh, which sends the most MPs to the Lok Sabha, has been a key battleground for political power in India.
Congress’s decline in Uttar Pradesh is marked by its loss of control in 1967 when the Bharatiya Kranti Dal took over and Charan Singh became the Chief Minister. In the following years, power alternated between Congress and the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, with periods of President’s Rule in between. The Janata Party gained control in the late '70s after Indira Gandhi’s National Emergency.
In 1989, the Janata Dal under Mulayam Singh Yadav defeated Congress, which has since been unable to regain power in the state. The emergence of the BJP and the prevalence of caste- and religion-based politics (Mandal-Kamandal) have become central to Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape.
Mulayam Singh Yadav later established the Samajwadi Party, and Congress has now allied with this party, currently led by his son Akhilesh Yadav. From a dominant position in the state assembly, Congress now holds only two seats. The Samajwadi Party has allocated 17 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats to Congress, a gesture seen as generous given Congress’s current standing.
The Bihar Ouster and Alliance with Lalu’s RJD Similarly, in 1967, Congress lost power in Bihar to the Jana Kranti Dal but managed to return to power a year later. However, in 1990, Lalu Prasad Yadav defeated Jagannath Mishra of Congress and became the Chief Minister, marking the end of Congress’s rule in Bihar.
Over the past three decades, social justice parties have risen, and both the BJP and Congress have participated in coalition governments in Bihar. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who founded the RJD after splitting from the Janata Dal, has been a key figure in Bihar politics. Congress is currently in alliance with the RJD in Bihar, where it holds 17 seats in the state assembly.
Congress’s Struggles in Maharashtra Maharashtra, the birthplace of Congress, has also seen the party’s influence wane. Congress maintained uninterrupted power until 1978, after which a faction led by D Devaraj Urs took control. Sharad Pawar, who sided with Urs, became the Chief Minister but was ousted in 1980 when Indira Gandhi regained power at the national level.
Sharad Pawar rejoined Congress in 1986 and served as Chief Minister until 1995. His departure is often cited as a contributing factor to the rise of the Shiv Sena. After Pawar, Congress could only form the state government with the support of UPA partners.
Pawar later left Congress again to establish the NCP, opposing Sonia Gandhi’s potential prime ministership due to her foreign origins. The emergence of the Shiv Sena and the NCP has put Congress at a disadvantage in Maharashtra, where it once held a strong position.
In the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress is partnering with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, contesting 21 of the 48 seats. The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, is also allied with Congress. Thus, in Maharashtra, Congress is allied with two parties that have contributed to its decline.
The Loss of Delhi to AAP and Subsequent Alliance In Delhi, Congress was in power from 1953 until the Chief Minister’s office was abolished in 1956. When the office was reinstated, the BJP formed the government in 1993, which was later defeated by Congress under Sheila Dikshit.
Sheila Dikshit led Congress to power for 15 years until 2013, when the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, took over. Kejriwal, campaigning against corruption, shifted voter support away from Congress to AAP.
Interestingly, Congress supported AAP in forming its first government in Delhi. However, AAP has since solidified its hold on Delhi, rendering Congress less relevant.
A decade later, AAP holds a significant majority in the Delhi Assembly, and Congress has formed an alliance with it to contest the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, another instance of Congress aligning with a former rival.
Arvinder Singh Lovely’s resignation underscores the complex dynamics of political alliances and the challenges faced by the Congress in maintaining its relevance amidst changing political landscapes.
