| December 15, 1997 | ||
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Ever since the grand old Indian National Congress celebrated its birth centenary in 1985, it has taken to the sick bed in what seems a state of terminal illness. Whether it has formed the government or not, every successive election has meant a sharp erosion of its popular support and shrinkage in its catchment area. By 1996, it had virtually disappeared from some regions which were once its bastions -- notably Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- and its share of votes, and seats, had fallen below its own previous worst of 1977. Can it reverse the trend? Despite everything, the Congress is still more of a national party than its rivals. In 1996 it was either the winner or the runner-up in 388 constituencies. This seems impressive when compared to 307 for the BJP and its allies and 300 for the UF. Nevertheless, does the Congress have the organisational might to turn this potential into electoral success? Does it have the capacity to turn the obvious personal ambitions of its leaders into a collective will to power? Or will it slip further, like the Indian rupee has in the past fortnight, creating a fresh record every day? Can the
next election yield a different verdict? |
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