New Delhi:
The Congress faces an image problem after the recent state elections. The party won just 19 seats in Assam. Of those, 18 candidates are Muslims and one Hindu. Even in Bengal, its two newly elected MLAs are Muslims. This has triggered “Muslim League” jibes by the BJP and Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF, a regional party in Assam.
The Congress’s social media chief, Supriya Shrinate, countered the narrative with data. Of the total of 664 Congress MLAs across the country, there are 520 Hindus (78%), 80 Muslims (12%), and 64 from other religions (10%), she pointed out.
This data indicates that the MLA demographics are in proportion to the population, concluded a senior Congress leader. The Congress represents everyone, according to the population, he stressed, calling it the “real development” of everyone.
“The BJP leaders say they don’t need Muslim votes. If the BJP rejected the Muslims, the Muslim voters also rejected the BJP. So, what is the objection if Muslims voted for a national secular party instead of the BJP and so-called Muslim parties like the AIUDF and AIMIM?” asked the Congress leader.
‘Muslim League’ Jibes
The BJP had long been accusing the Congress of appeasing Muslims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, called the party “Muslim League Maoist Congress” during the campaign. The Congress retaliated sharply. It described the PM’s remark as an attempt to polarise and distract from basic issues.
The Congress had never presented the religion data of its MLAs and MPs earlier. But its worst-ever performance in Assam has now forced the party to do so to counter this BJP narrative.
The reason was clear: of all 24 opposition MLAs in the 126-member assembly, only two are Hindus. One of them is the Congress’s JP Das, and the other is Congress ally Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi. Besides, all except one of the party’s Assam MLAs are Muslims.
Assam’s minister Pijush Hazarika has said that the Congress has turned into a “Muslim League”. Claiming that Congress is surviving politically only based on minority votes, he said, “Even senior leaders have admitted this reality. Congress has now become a Muslim League in the state.”
Even Badruddin Ajmal, who himself is a minority politician, echoed similar remarks.
Is Congress Worried?
The Congress’s response shows that it is worried about the inherent dangers to its image due to such narratives. Especially so, because it comes months ahead of another election cycle crucial for the party.
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are set to go to polls at the beginning of next year. At the end of 2027, Gujarat and Himachal will vote. Next year, in 2028, elections will be held in Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
The Congress is in direct competition with the BJP in all these states. In three of these, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, the Congress is also in power. Therefore, the party realises that a ‘Muslim League’ image may be problematic in front of Hindutva politics.
A Congress leader told NDTV that the party is not afraid. They (BJP) have been saying such things since the time of Gandhi-Nehru, and it is our duty to respond to misleading things with facts so that the right message reaches the people, he said.
According to Supriya Shrinate, this is not a changed strategy.
“We are proud that the Congress represents all religions, classes, regions, and languages of the country. It is our responsibility to respond to the BJP’s fake propaganda. In Kerala, the Congress coalition won a great victory. Our MLAs are in equal proportion to the population of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities,” she added.
The Congress’s only Hindu MLA in Assam, Joy Prakash Das, told NDTV that there is no doubt that the BJP has won big and that the Congress has lost, but it is wrong to say that the Hindus did not vote for Congress.
Congress candidates received up to 40 per cent votes in the Hindu-majority seats, he said, adding that it is natural that the BJP candidates who got more votes won.
Das won the Nowboicha seat in Lakhimpur by a margin of more than 23,000 votes against Assam Gana Parishad candidate Basanta Das.
