India is seeing a flurry of street protests these days, people who can’t convince the electorate to vote for them are increasingly taking to the streets with their remaining supporters. Now, we have another one of these protests. The Congress-led Opposition has taken to the streets against the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, presenting its protest as a grand defence of democracy. But beneath the slogans, banners and determined expressions, a rather uncomfortable question has risen- Is this really a battle for democracy, or is Congress simply trying to remind everyone that it still exists?
The timing is particularly interesting. As the Cockroach Janata Party increasingly occupies the opposition space, Congress appears to be discovering a familiar political survival strategy- march, protest, hold a press conference, and declare that democracy is in danger. The only missing ingredient is perhaps a reminder to voters that Congress once dominated Indian politics.
The party’s shrinking political footprint has become increasingly difficult to disguise. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, Congress has struggled to convert its political messaging into sustained electoral expansion. The party continues to have pockets of influence, but its ability to present itself as the natural national alternative to the BJP has weakened considerably.
And that creates a peculiar problem. If another opposition formation begins grabbing attention, Congress risks becoming what every ageing political heavyweight fears most – becoming irrelevant.
Hence, the march against the CEC serves another purpose beyond whatever constitutional or electoral arguments Congress is making. It puts Rahul Gandhi and the party back in television studios, headlines and social media feeds. In modern politics, visibility is oxygen. If you are not making news, someone else is.
Of course, Congress would insist that this is not about political relevance. It is about electoral integrity, constitutional institutions and democracy. Fair enough. Those are serious issues and deserve serious debate. But politics is rarely so pure. A protest can simultaneously be a genuine political argument and an exercise in political repositioning.
The irony is that Congress’ biggest challenge may not even be the BJP anymore. Its larger problem is the rapidly fragmenting opposition space, where regional parties and newer political formations are increasingly willing to claim the anti-BJP mantle for themselves.
Congress therefore faces an awkward choice, to remain the senior opposition party in its own imagination, or acknowledge that political space does not come with a lifetime reservation.
The march against the CEC may therefore be about much more than the CEC. It could be Congress’ latest attempt to shout, “We are still here!”
The electorate, however, may be asking a rather different question: “For how long?
