Concerns over the Congress party’s declining vote share in Gujarat and the broader challenges it faces in the state were raised by Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during his two-day visit to Gujarat. His visit aimed at bolstering the party’s organisational structure ahead of the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections.
His visit follows the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Karnataka’s Belagavi, where internal restructuring and strategic planning were discussed.
Gandhi landed at Ahmedabad Airport in the morning and was greeted by party workers chanting slogans in his support. He proceeded directly to the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) headquarters in Paldi, where the Seva Dal honoured him with a salute.
He paid floral tributes to the statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi before engaging in a series of meetings.
At the GPCC headquarters, Gandhi met former state Congress presidents, former opposition leaders, and senior party figures. He then participated in a meeting with the state’s Political Affairs Committee and interacted with chairpersons of various frontal organisations and departmental cells.
According to Congress sources, he raised concerns over the party’s declining vote share in Gujarat and emphasised the need for aggressive grassroots engagement.
Rajya Sabha MP and Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil underscored the necessity of organisational changes in line with evolving socio-political dynamics. “A committee has been formed to study the required reforms, and the party will take decisions accordingly. The Congress party will work with a positive agenda,” he said.
Congress leader Pragati Ahir told Vibes of India, “Rahul Gandhi already declared in the Lok Sabha that we are going to win the 2027 Assembly elections. He came to Ahmedabad to meet party leaders and workers to understand the grassroots voting structure. The main aim of these meetings was to analyse the challenges faced by our party. Why has the voting percentage gone down? Rahul Gandhi emphasised the need for constructive and movement-based programmes to secure justice, rights, and entitlements for Gujarat’s citizens. He also stressed large-scale organisational reforms, ensuring office-bearers take responsibility and remain accountable.”
‘Samvad Programme’ to Address Root Issues
Under Gandhi’s leadership, the Samvad Programme included key internal meetings attended by AICC General Secretary and organisational in-charge K C Venugopal, Gujarat in-charge Mukul Wasnik, Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil, Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Amit Chavda, and AICC secretaries.
Discussions centred on unemployment, inflation, women’s safety, and farmers’ concerns, with a focus on strengthening the Congress structure and amplifying the voices of Gujarat’s people.
A special emphasis was placed on reinforcing the party’s presence at the booth level. Over 400 taluka and municipal leaders attended the discussions, which facilitated open dialogues on the ground reality of Congress in Gujarat and the necessary steps to revitalise the party at both the grassroots and state levels.
Speaking to the media, Venugopal stated that Congress has begun its organisational year from Gujarat. “The meetings held during Rahul Gandhi’s visit were internal and focused solely on strengthening the party structure. Discussions were held with leaders at various levels to assess necessary changes. Congress’ organisational focus extends beyond Gujarat to the entire nation. A roadmap for Gujarat will be finalised and presented at the upcoming AICC convention on 8-9 April, ensuring accountability for all party leaders,” he said.
During his discussions, Gandhi questioned Gujarat Congress leaders about the reasons behind the upper-caste community’s distancing from the party. He also raised concerns about why, despite economic challenges in the diamond, textile, and ceramics industries, public resentment was not more visible. Furthermore, he highlighted the fragmentation of Congress votes whenever a third front emerged, while BJP’s vote base remained intact.
Additionally, he questioned why, despite 30 years of uninterrupted BJP rule, the party’s vote share had not declined while Congress had failed to increase its support. Gujarat has been under BJP rule since 1995. In the 2022 Assembly elections, Congress won only 17 of the 182 seats, a number that has since reduced to 12 following the resignation of five MLAs.
With over two and a half years remaining until the next elections, Gandhi’s visit signals the beginning of a renewed push to strengthen the party’s presence in the state.
Also Read: AICC Session In Ahmedabad: A Challenge For The Congress
