With the Bihar polls approaching, the INDIA bloc is gearing up to challenge the formidable NDA, placing the Congress party at a critical juncture. As a junior partner to the RJD in the state’s Mahagathbandhan, its performance is crucial. While the Grand Old Party has often criticised the BJP’s methods, the ruthless arena of modern elections demands a study of the rival’s organisational genius.
Here are five strategic lessons from the BJP’s election-winning machine that Congress could adopt to revitalise its prospects in the Bihar polls.
1. Master Micro-Management: The ‘Panna Pramukh’ Model
The BJP’s core strength isn’t just its star campaigners; it’s the invisible army of the panna pramukh—a party worker responsible for a single page of the voter list. This hyper-local strategy ensures every 30-60 voters have a direct point of contact for mobilisation and feedback.
In contrast, Congress often relies on a top-down structure that activates only during election season. To compete, Congress must rebuild its Seva Dal or a similar grassroots organisation from the block level up. This would create a permanent, motivated cadre that works 24/7, not just when a rally is announced, forming the backbone of its pre-poll strategy.
2. Control the Narrative: Set the Agenda, Don’t Just React
The BJP is a master at setting the political narrative. Whether it’s “Modi ki Guarantee,” nationalism, or welfare schemes, they ensure the conversation happens on their terms. Congress, too often, is left playing defence and reacting to the BJP’s agenda.
For the Bihar polls, the party must craft its own simple, powerful, and positive narrative. Beyond criticising the incumbent, what is the Congress’s vision for Bihar’s youth? What is its unique proposition for farmers? It needs a slogan and a story that resonates on the ground, independent of its allies.
3. Redefine Social Engineering: Look Beyond Traditional Vote Banks
While the RJD-Congress alliance traditionally relies on the Muslim-Yadav (M-Y) combination, the BJP has successfully shattered old caste arithmetic. It achieved this by creating a new constituency: the labharthi (beneficiary) class. By directly targeting beneficiaries of schemes like Ujjwala Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the BJP has forged a vote bank that cuts across caste lines.
Furthermore, the BJP has been adept at wooing Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). Congress needs to update its own social engineering. The call for a caste census is a start, but it must be supplemented with a compelling economic message that appeals to aspirational voters across all communities.
4. Perfect ‘Gathbandhan Dharma’: Be a Flexible and Strategic Ally
Despite its national dominance, the BJP has shown remarkable pragmatism in managing its alliances in Bihar. It has accommodated partners like Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV), often ceding more seats than its own size might warrant to ensure a united front.
Within the INDIA bloc, Congress is sometimes perceived as a rigid partner, haggling hard for seats where its organisational strength is questionable. To maximise the alliance’s strike rate in the Bihar polls, Congress must be more flexible and realistic. Prioritising winnability over prestige is key to proving it can be a reliable and accommodating ally.
5. Project Unified Leadership: A Clear and Decisive Command Structure
In the BJP, the command structure is crystal clear. From PM Modi and Amit Shah at the top to the state in-charge, everyone knows their role, projecting an image of discipline and unity. The Congress, however, often appears plagued by factionalism and a delayed decision-making process dictated by the “High Command” in Delhi.
For its Bihar campaign, Congress must project a united state leadership, empower it to make swift decisions, and ensure a single, coherent voice communicates the party’s message to both workers and voters.
For Congress in Bihar, the challenge is immense. It’s no longer enough to be a passenger in the Mahagathbandhan. By learning from the BJP‘s strategic discipline—not its politics—it can transform from a seat-filler to a genuine force multiplier in the upcoming polls.
