Srinagar, Oct 9 (JKNS): BJP leader Altaf Thakur on Friday questioned the Congress party’s electoral strength, arguing that media visibility and television debates cannot substitute for grassroots organisation, voter confidence and electoral performance, particularly as alliance dynamics take shape ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
As per news agency JKNS Thakur said, For the past 50 hours, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have dominated television debates and social media headlines. However, the party’s growing media visibility has not necessarily translated into greater political leverage, with reports suggesting that even its alliance partners are questioning its electoral strength.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party is reportedly offering Congress fewer than 50 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections, signalling that seat-sharing arrangements may be determined by the party’s perceived electoral strength rather than its national profile, he said.
The Rajya Sabha election results in Uttar Pradesh have further highlighted the BJP’s political advantage, with the party securing eight seats while the Samajwadi Party won two, BJP leader said.
Across states such as West Bengal and Assam, Congress continues to face significant organisational and electoral challenges. While the party remains a prominent presence in television debates and online political discourse, visibility in the media should not be confused with influence on the ground, he said.
Thakur said that, “The central question, therefore, is whether sustained media attention can translate into electoral gains. Political success is ultimately determined not by the volume of headlines a party generates, but by the strength of its grassroots organisation, its ability to mobilise public support, its electoral performance and the confidence it commands among voters.”
For Congress, the real test lies beyond the television studios and social media trends. It is whether the party can convert its public visibility into a stronger organisational presence, greater bargaining power within its alliances and a credible electoral challenge to its rivals, he said.
“In politics, headlines may shape the narrative, but votes determine the verdict,” he added. (JKNS)