Congress' Rajya Sabha strength weakens with rising losses

NEW DELHI: Congress's shrinking national footprint has begun to show its downside, with indications that an 'outsider' may again get the Rajya Sabha berth from Uttarakhand, the first election to the upper House since the party's recent defeats.

Lobbying has broken out in the hill state unit, with demands that a 'local' be nominated to the upper House. The state organization feels the party should use the opportunity created by the resignation of BJP's Bhagat Singh Koshiyari for political messaging with the hill populace or social groups like women and Dalits. Koshiyari was elected to the Lok Sabha.

However, sources said there were signals from the leadership that it may fill the vacancy with a Delhi nominee.

While not unprecedented, the move to nominate an 'outsider' from Uttarakhand is seen as the first sign of what lies in store for Congress following the dip in its political fortunes, not as much after the loss in Lok Sabha polls as with the spread of the defeat contagion in assembly battles.

The loss in states is chipping away at its ability to send important leaders or loyalists to Parliament. Congress has a couple of key faces whose terms in RS will end soon while the Lok Sabha rout has deprived the party of "policy wonks" and "talented" leaders, impacting its performance in Parliament.

Also, the fall from 206 MPs to 44 has created a pool of senior leaders that wants to return to Parliament.

Put together, the Rajya Sabha requirement of Congress is disproportionate to its strength in states. Given the grim prospects in coming state battles, the party's ability to gain upper House nominations may only dwindle further in the future.

Partymen lament that in coming years, it would put more pressure on Congress to plump for 'outsiders' in states where it has the strength to elect leaders to RS. It would only heighten lobbying and the 'outsider vs local' clashes within.