Today in Politics: Rahul Gandhi Calls for Housecleaning in Gujarat Congress—But Is It What the Party Needs?
Ahmedabad, March 9, 2025 – Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has set his sights on revitalizing the party’s Gujarat unit, announcing a bold plan to purge members he accuses of “conniving with the BJP.” Speaking at a closed-door meeting of party workers in Ahmedabad on March 8, Gandhi emphasized the need for internal discipline, stating, “We will remove those within who are undermining us by working with the BJP. The Congress must be united to fight back.” His remarks come as the party grapples with its decades-long irrelevance in a state dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1985. Yet, some Gujarat Congress leaders are questioning whether this “housecleaning” is the remedy the party truly needs—or just a distraction from deeper woes.
Gandhi’s call for a purge reflects his broader strategy to reposition the Congress as a credible opposition ahead of the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections. The state, a BJP stronghold and the home turf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, has been a tough nut to crack for the Congress, which last held power here in 1985 under Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki. Since then, the party’s vote share has dwindled—hovering at 27% in the 2022 Assembly polls against the BJP’s 52%—while factionalism and defections have eroded its organizational strength. Gandhi’s accusation of internal sabotage points to a recurring suspicion: that some Congress leaders have either tacitly supported the BJP or jumped ship at critical moments, a trend seen in high-profile exits like that of Shankersinh Vaghela in 1996 and Alpesh Thakor in 2019.
However, the response within the Gujarat Congress has been mixed. While some loyalists cheered Gandhi’s tough stance, others expressed skepticism about its effectiveness. “What do you expect when you’ve been out of power for over three decades?” asked a senior party leader, speaking anonymously. “The BJP has money, muscle, and a machinery we can’t match. Blaming a few ‘traitors’ won’t change the fact that we’ve failed to connect with voters.” Another leader pointed to the party’s inability to counter the BJP’s narrative on development and Hindutva, suggesting that the focus on internal cleansing might be “putting the cart before the horse.”
The Gujarat Congress’s struggles are stark. In the 2022 Assembly elections, it won just 17 of 182 seats, its lowest tally ever, while the BJP swept 156. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a newer entrant, outshone Congress in several urban pockets, signaling a further erosion of the party’s base. Gandhi’s visit, his first to Gujarat in 2025, aimed to boost morale, but his rhetoric has sparked a debate about priorities. “We need a new vision, not a witch hunt,” said a party worker from Surat. “People don’t care about our infighting—they want jobs, better schools, and lower prices.”
On X, reactions ranged from cautious optimism to outright cynicism. One user posted, “Rahul’s right—clean the house, but don’t expect miracles in Modi’s backyard.” Another quipped, “Congress has been spring-cleaning since 1985 and still can’t find the broom.” The party’s Gujarat in-charge, Mukul Wasnik, defended Gandhi’s approach, telling reporters, “Discipline is the first step to revival. We can’t fight the BJP with one hand tied behind our back.”
As of today, March 9, 2025, Gandhi’s housecleaning directive has set off a flurry of activity within the Gujarat Congress, with speculation rife about who might face the axe. Yet, with the BJP’s grip on the state showing no signs of loosening, the bigger question looms: Can rooting out alleged collaborators reverse three decades of decline, or does the Congress need a bolder reinvention to reclaim its relevance? For now, Rahul Gandhi’s gamble is a high-stakes bet on unity—but whether it’s the cure or just a symptom of the party’s malaise remains to be seen.