Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has once again made headlines with his bold remarks on party restructuring, this time while addressing Congress workers in Ahmedabad. During the meeting, he emphasized the need to eliminate factionalism within the Gujarat unit, stating:

“If we have to connect with the people of Gujarat, we have to do two things. The first is to separate loyalists from rebels. Even if we have to remove 10, 15, 20, 30, or 40 people, we are ready to do so to set an example.”

He went further, criticizing some within his own party, even calling them the “B-team of the BJP”. He also lamented that despite having many strong leaders, they are “tied in chains”, signaling his frustration with internal conflicts and lack of decisive leadership.

This raises the critical question—is Rahul Gandhi truly serious about revamping the Congress, or is this yet another empty promise?

Congress in Crisis: Will Rahul Finally Take Action?

Congress has been struggling with factionalism across multiple states, from Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan to Maharashtra. The party’s continuous electoral failures, particularly in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi, have left its workers demoralized.

Even some of its senior leaders, like Shashi Tharoor and Mumtaz Ahmed, have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with their roles, further highlighting the internal discord.

Beyond the Congress itself, even its INDIA alliance partners have questioned Rahul’s leadership, indicating that his authority within the party and among allies is not as strong as it should be.

If Rahul is truly committed to cleansing the party of internal dissent, he must be prepared for potential rebellion within the Congress itself. The party is already in a weakened state, and the removal of influential leaders could cause further fractures. However, it is equally possible that Rahul’s strategy is to sideline those who question his leadership in order to solidify his control over the party.

The Real Test: Can Rahul Overcome Congress' Structural Issues?

While Rahul’s calls for reform sound ambitious, Congress’ history suggests that real change rarely follows such statements. Over the years, there have been multiple discussions about revamping the party, but each time, the momentum was lost due to:

Lack of clarity on leadership
Internal factionalism blocking progress
Failure to take decisive action at the right time

If Rahul is genuinely committed to reforming the party, he will have to go beyond just criticizing internal issues and take concrete steps to rebuild the Congress from the ground up.

Key Challenges Rahul Gandhi Must Address

Leadership Clarity: Who’s Really in Charge?

One of Congress' biggest problems is uncertainty over leadership. Rahul Gandhi is not officially the Congress President, yet he continues to make key decisions, overshadowing the elected president Mallikarjun Kharge. This creates confusion within the party.

Rahul must either formally take charge of the Congress or fully empower Kharge, because politics does not work with part-time leadership.

Addressing Factionalism

From Rajasthan to Bihar, Congress has been riddled with factional fights. Rahul must resolve these conflicts, unify party leaders, and ensure that infighting does not cost the party future elections.

Strengthening Weak Party Units

In several states, such as Bihar, Congress' ground-level organization is in shambles. With Bihar elections approaching, Rahul must prioritize revamping state units and ensuring a strong party presence.

Identifying and Removing Opportunistic Leaders

The party has long suffered due to leaders who switch sides or work against Congress' interests. Rahul must identify and take strict action against such members.

Defining a Clear Ideology

Congress has often shifted between soft Hindutva and secularism, confusing voters about its true ideological stance. Rahul must clearly define:
What does Congress stand for?
How does it differentiate itself from BJP and other regional parties?

Promoting Young Leadership

Unlike the BJP, which has successfully introduced young leaders, Congress remains heavily dependent on veterans. Rahul must push for new, dynamic leaders to take charge of key positions.

Can Rahul Truly Reform Congress, or Is It ‘Now or Never’?

Over the last few years, many senior leaders have left Congress to join the BJP or other parties. If Rahul is genuinely serious about change, he cannot afford to delay any longer.

To truly revive the Congress, Rahul must take strong, decisive steps instead of merely making speeches about reform. His past record of stepping back from leadership responsibilities does not inspire confidence, but if he wishes to turn the party’s fortunes around, now is the time to act.

Otherwise, Congress may continue on its path of decline, and Rahul’s leadership will remain a subject of debate rather than action.