Former Congress MLA warns Sonia Gandhi of party’s sharp decline

A former Congress MLA has written to Sonia Gandhi, warning that the party is facing an “alarming, heartbreaking, and unbearable” decline after a series of electoral defeats across states and at the national level. The former MLA from Barabati-Cuttack, Mohammed Moquim, said he felt compelled to speak because the Congress is “slipping away” due to internal errors rather than external challenges.

'Workers demoralised due to poll losses'

Moquim, a long-time party loyalist with family roots stretching back to the freedom movement, said Congress workers across India are “demoralised and emotionally broken” after repeated losses.

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He pointed out that the party has suffered six consecutive defeats in Odisha and three major setbacks nationally, while recent outcomes in Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Kashmir reflected “staggering margins” of defeat.

“A series of wrong decisions, misguided leadership choices, and the continued concentration of responsibility in the wrong hands have weakened the Party from within”, wrote Moquim.

‘Congress repeating, not correcting errors’

He claimed, the party is “repeating,” instead of correcting the errors, causing its geographical and organisational footprint to shrink rapidly.

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Moquim further stated that grassroots workers feel “punished for their loyalty” as the party continues to decline. “Painful questions are being raised,” he wrote, adding that many workers doubt whether decisions are being taken seriously or entrusted to capable leaders.

He warned that lakhs of Congress workers feel abandoned and fear that the party may “lose the Congress we inherited” if urgent steps are not taken.

‘Couldn’t meet Rahul for three years’

Moquim also highlighted a widening gap between the leadership and ground-level workers, stating that he himself could not meet Rahul Gandhi for nearly three years despite being an MLA.

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“Madam, with a heavy heart, I submit that despite being an MLA, I was unable to meet Shri Rahul Gandhi ji for almost 3 years. This is not a personal grievance but a reflection of a wider emotional disconnect felt by workers across India,” he said.

“In earlier years, under the leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhi ji, Shri Rajiv Gandhi ji, and yourself, workers were encouraged, heard, and valued. That connection built loyalty, identity, and conviction,” he added.

Criticises Odisha leadership

Moquim further alleged that Congress in Odisha is currently suffering a leadership crisis. He criticised the appointment of state presidents who, according to him, lacked electoral credibility. Moquim pointed out that former OPCC chief Sarat Patnaik had lost six consecutive Lok Sabha elections, sometimes forfeiting his deposit, and that under his leadership, the party recorded its lowest-ever vote share of 13% in 2024.