Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal

Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande

Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most.

That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have gone on the offensive with a series of agitations or protests, raising issues that directly affect the ordinary citizens.

Though it has been a key constituent of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) since 2019, it clawed to retain its identity as a national party and an independent political force locking horns with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Raising a Storm

In the past few months, either independently, with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or in alliance with MVA constituents like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress is raising a storm with major issues that rule headlines.

These include soaring inflation, fuel price hikes and shortage of gas, petrol or diesel, water crises in many parts, farmers distress, examination paper leak controversies, etc.

These are not only winning hearts but grabbing eyeballs in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, Nagpur and other regions with massive grassroots participation and public mobilisation – proving the party is reading the peoples’ pulse correctly – rather than confining itself to media or online crusades.

Rahul’s Credit

The transformation is largely credited to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, which the state chief Sapkal – who took charge in Feb. 2025 – taking it forward passionately to the rank and file, spread in the remotest corners of Maharashtra.

“He took over the onerous responsibility when the party morale was at its lowest. He launched the ‘Sapkal Pattern’, focussing on energizing the crucial booth-level workers who have direct connect with the ordinary voters, reconnected with local-level issues to keep up the tempo between two elections,” said a Mumbai-based senior leader.

On his part, Sapkal has repeatedly given booster doses to the workers, saying the Congress has been a ‘fighter party’ and never shies from taking up issues concerning the common masses.

Opposition Space

Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party is implementing the wishes of Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership, handling key states personally and the “changes are visible”.

“We shall not allow BJP to get a walkover in anything through its bulldozer tactics. We are with the people of the country and raise their concerns through campaigns and agitations. We will safeguard the Opposition space which is being blatantly encroached upon by the ruling party at all levels,” said a determined Londhe.

A Mumbai frontal organisation vice-president said since long, the grassroots cadres of the Congress felt ignored as burning problems of the ordinary masses were not effectively highlighted by the party which seemed to wake up only when the poll bugles were sounded.

“Not anymore… We are present everywhere. The people are suffering because of the BJP’s policies. The youth are frustrated as the government doesn’t listen to them and instead labels them as parasites or cockroaches,” said the leader, preferring anonymity.

Vocal, visible streetfighter

The Congress recently carried out a series of aggressive people-oriented protests - roadblocks against fuel price hikes, bicycle and motorcycle rallies organised by the Youth Congress, demonstrations highlighting inflation, protests over onion prices and farmers woes, ‘handa morcha’ against water scarcity in Mumbai, agitations over examination paper leaks and other irregularities.

Positioning itself as the prominent voice of public discontent, the Congress campaigns spanned the state, involving all classes and communities while identifying with the voters who are desperately struggling for survival.

While MVA allies also challenge the government, many say the Congress is seen as leading from the front to gradually emerge as the Opposition’s most visible and vocal street-fighting force, setting the agenda for other parties to become an election-ready entity by 2029.