New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) — The Congress endured a bleak 2025, suffering some of its worst electoral performances in Bihar and Delhi while grappling with factionalism in Karnataka, one of the few states it governs on its own. Still, encouraging results in Kerala’s local body polls have offered a ray of hope as the party looks ahead to 2026.
Senior leaders, including organisation general secretary K C Venugopal, said the Kerala results signal momentum ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, where the Congress-led UDF will challenge the ruling LDF. The party is also pinning hopes on Assam, even as it acknowledges the strong challenge posed by BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Organisational weakness remained a major concern through the year, with senior leaders openly calling for grassroots strengthening. Veteran Digvijaya Singh led demands for a revamp, praising the RSS’s disciplined cadre model, a view backed by Shashi Tharoor.
Kerala remains a key battleground, though internal challenges persist, including multiple chief ministerial aspirants. Insiders say managing ambitions, with Venugopal seen as a frontrunner, will be crucial.
Factional tensions were also evident in Karnataka, with differences between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar surfacing repeatedly. While leaders deny serious discord, observers say the issue could intensify.
In 2025, the Congress shifted to its new headquarters, Indira Bhavan, ending a 50-year stay at 24 Akbar Road. Soon after, it faced a rout in the Delhi Assembly polls, failing to win a single seat for the second consecutive time as the BJP returned to power after 27 years.
The party then suffered another setback in Bihar, recording its second-worst performance by winning just six seats and losing deposits in most constituencies. Its “vote chori” campaign failed to gain traction, and it finished narrowly ahead of AIMIM and HAM.
BYPOLL results were mixed, but the loss in Punjab’s Tarn Taran seat to the AAP raised concerns about the party’s prospects in the state ahead of 2027.
While the Congress sought to shape narratives through attacks on the BJP over constitutional changes and allegations against the Election Commission, these strategies did not translate into electoral gains. Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ and appeals to Gen Z also failed to resonate in Bihar.
Despite the setbacks, the party draws optimism from its Kerala local body success. In 2026, it faces tough contests against an emboldened BJP in Assam, the CPI(M) in Kerala, the TMC in West Bengal, and anti-incumbency challenges alongside ally DMK in Tamil Nadu.
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