Moral Victories of CONgress & Rahul’s Frequent Flyer Miles

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Great Indian Vanishing Act: 99 Not Out!

Hollow Core: Why CONgress Continues to Fail the Ballot Test

Spectacle of a leader brandishing a red book might make for a viral moment, but it doesn’t make a government. After 99th electoral loss under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, message from the Indian voter is loud, clear, and increasingly harsh. Abstract slogans, political theatre, and spewing nonsense doesn’t impress anymore and are no substitute for a roadmap to power. For CONgress, what is known as “crisis of accountability” in Political science, has shifted from a theoretical problem to a terminal one.

Crisis of Accountability

CONgress is currently grappling with a fundamental breakdown in its internal structure. By prioritizing the protection of a few top figures over genuine reform, party has effectively sidelined its most talented grassroots leaders. When primary energy of an organization is expended on defending the senseless and politically useless rhetoric of Rahul Gandhi & Co and their loud mouthed spokespersons whose only day job is to sing paeons of Rahul Gandhi rather than improving its performance, result is a massive drain on the bandwidth required to craft winning, localized narratives.

Absentee Leader and Accountability Gap

Perhaps the most damaging optical failure for the party is recurring image of a seemingly disinterested Rahul Gandhi on the most critical days of the political calendar. While grassroots workers are left to face the brunt of a defeat, he has developed a predictable habit of vamoosing abroad on results day. This pattern strutting through high-profile campaigns, only to vanish to foreign shores when the chips are down, screams of a lack of skin in the game. When a leader is absent during the moment of reckoning, it sends a clear message to the electorate that the battle for India is a part-time pursuit.

“Flash-in-the-Pan” Narratives

A core frustration for the Indian voter is Rahul Gandhi’s habit of raising non-issues that vanish as quickly as they appear. Rahul Gandhi frequently initiates high-decibel campaigns—ranging from the Rafale controversy and the Pegasus row to more recent obsessions like the “merit system” critique or General Naravane’s memoir—only to abandon them the moment they are factually countered or fail to gain traction. This “narrative jumping” leaves the electorate confused and cynical. While these topics might become trending talking points for social media bot accounts and echo chambers, they have a net negative impact on the ground. Real voters prioritize consistent issues like infrastructure and the economy, but they instead witness a leader who treats serious national discourse like a series of experimental hashtags. When the rhetoric shifts every fortnight, the credibility of the message is the first casualty.

Patriotic Pushback

Indian voters today are far from naive; they are a highly patriotic and nationalistic electorate that has fundamentally transformed post-2014. The New India does not take kindly to Rahul Gandhi who runs down country’s democratic institutions or official standing on foreign soil. When Rahul Gandhi embarks on secret sojourns to places like Colombia, Germany, or Vietnam and seeks intervention of foreign powers in domestic affairs, average voter views it as a betrayal of national sovereignty especially considering his mixed parentage. Projecting social faultlines as if they were purely recent creations has backfired spectacularly. Instead of gaining sympathy, these actions have triggered a deep sense of revulsion. Today young voter views the power of the ballot as a means to punish those who appear more comfortable in global echo chambers than in the service of their own nation. In sharp contrast, Narendra Modi has visibly lived and projected an image of a fierce nationalist who consistently demonstrates a “Nation First” approach through decisive actions, from the Balakot airstrikes to the revocation of Article 370. Voters see a Prime Minister who carries the aspirations of 140 crore Indians to the global stage, making the opposition’s habit of projecting social faultlines to foreign audiences appear not just out of touch, but deeply offensive to the national pride.

Death of Pseudo-Secularism

Perhaps most significant tectonic shift CONgress has failed to register is total collapse of its traditional “Secular” brand. For decades, Indian voter watched this brand of politics getting devolved into a tool for cynical vote-bank math rather than genuine inclusivity. This model has now backfired consistently. The electorate has seen through performative tokenism that offered no real empowerment. In sharp contrast, by replacing divisive appeasement with the “Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas” framework, BJP has outdone the CONgress model, convincing the masses that development and cultural pride are not mutually exclusive. BJP has effectively dismantled the old guard by successfully establishing a broad Hindu consolidation that transcends caste lines. While CONgress remains trapped in an outdated 20th-century playbook, the voter has moved toward a governance style that feels more authentic and rooted in the national majority’s aspirations. There is a separate section on comparative models towards the end of this piece.

Entitlement Trap and “chINDI” Alliance

Central to the party’s failure is the horribly botched handling of the INDI Alliance partners, fuelled by Rahul Gandhi’s assumed entitlement that he is the leader by default. Instead of a cohesive front, coalition operates more like a collection of rivals who are at each other’s necks during every election cycle. This lack of synergy was on full display during the recent Bengal elections, where Rahul Gandhi’s decision to attack Mamata Banerjee directly paved the way for a humiliating defeat of the alliance partner. When the self-appointed anchor of a coalition spends more time sabotaging its members than building bridges, it is no wonder that critics have rebranded it the “chINDI” Alliance, a fragmented group with no shared vision beyond survival.

Unreliable and Opportunistic Ally

Backstabbers

2026 Tamil Nadu elections served as the ultimate mask-off moment for the CONgress’s Coalition Dharma. Throughout the campaign, CONgress postured as a steadfast pillar of DMK-led alliance, with Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor aggressively painting Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) as BJP B-Team, lacking grassroots depth. They even weaponized tragic Karur stampede of 2025 to question Vijay’s competence. However, the moment, results revealed a seismic shift, with TVK emerging as the single largest party with 108 seats while a rejected CONgress scraped just 5 seats as a virtual gift from the DMK, the rhetoric vanished.

In a move that DMK spokesperson, Saravanan Annadurai have labeled as backstabbing, CONgress abandoned its trusted partner and the chiINDI alliance to offer conditional support to Vijay to reach the majority mark. This desperate scramble for cabinet berths highlights a blatant hypocrisy. While Rahul Gandhi publicly preached against deriving sadistic pleasure from Mamata Banerjee’s struggles in Bengal, he was privately planning to ditch Stalin the moment a shinier object appeared. The contrast is stark, while =BJP has historically honored mandates, such as insisting Nitish Kumar lead Bihar even when BJP held more seats, CONgress views allies as disposable stepping stones. Voters have realized that while the BJP treats allies as stakeholders, CONgress prioritizes the spoils of victory and its own survival over any sense of consistency or loyalty.

“Glue” vs. Void

There is a prevailing internal argument that the Gandhi Family acts as the glue keeping a faction-ridden party from imploding. However, this raises a vital question. Is it worth running a political party just to survive? Today, CONgress remains intact at the top but is hollowed out at the bottom. Without linking leadership survival directly to electoral performance, evolving a winning strategy is a mathematical impossibility. A party that exists merely to keep a handful of people’s kitchen fires burning cannot expect to compete in a modern democracy.

Mobilization and Fire to Win

There is a stark contrast between BJP’s booth-level mobilization and current state of CONgress machinery. While BJP leaders treat every election with a “fire in the belly” and a genuine commitment to listening to their karyakartas, CONgress leadership especially the blue eyed Rahul andd Priyanka who calls the shots, remains disconnected from the grassroots. People may attend rallies for entertainment, but as the results prove, bandying books and speaking in abstractions does not translate into actual votes at the polling station.

Delusion of Victory in Defeat

A peculiar trend has emerged within the CONgress ranks flowing down from the Top, where party appears contented even in the face of repeated failures. There is a visible high among the rank and file when they celebrate a BJP loss, or even a reduced margin, as if it were a personal victory for their own leadership. This celebratory culture around moral victories is a dangerous distraction, it allows party to avoid painful introspection required after a loss. By finding joy in BJP’s occasional setbacks (so rare now a days considering the CONgress mastery of defeats) rather than their own gains, Rahul Gandhi & Co create a false sense of progress.

Cost of Centralization

Authority in CONgress is heavily centralized, leaving local leadership with almost no power. This top-heavy approach has led to a disastrous exodus of powerful regional satraps who have gone on to form successful parties like the NCP, TMC, and YSRCP, or have joined BJP. For BJP, it is double whammy and victory is twofold, they gain local vote banks, and CONgress loses the pillars that once held its foundation together. Unless CONgress moves from protecting the top to empowering the base, it will continue to be a spectator in the very democracy it once led.

Secularism Schism: Clinical Neutrality vs. Selective Appeasement

The word “Secularism” has become one of the most contested terms in Indian political lexicon. Whether a party qualifies as secular depends entirely on which definition one subscribes to,  “separation of religion and state policy” or “equal promotion of all religions.” While CONgress has historically leaned on the latter to justify specific protections, Indian voter has increasingly rejected this model in favour of a more universalist approach.

Definition of Neutrality

True secularism, in its purest spirit, demands separation of faith from state policy. However, for decades, CONgress practiced a form of “Sickularism” that focused on pampering a specific minority i.e Muslims, primarily because they represented a significant vote bank. In contrast, the BJP’s approach of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Together with all, Development for all) operates on the principle of “justice for all, appeasement of none.” By designing government schemes like Ujjwala, Awas Yojana, or Ayushman Bharat around economic eligibility rather than religious identity, BJP has introduced a clinical, religiously blind form of secularism that removes faith as a filter for welfare which exposed the flawed and failed CONgress model.

Universalism vs. Particularism

When a government moves away from universalism (policies for everyone) toward particularism (policies for specific religions), it triggers a zero-sum perception where one group’s gain is seen as another’s direct loss. CONgress frequently sowed these seeds of division through schemes like special scholarships for one community, 4% reservations for Muslim contractors in government tenders, or the construction of “Shadi Mahals.”

“Sickularism” is an imaginary threat induced to create fear among some in the society, to keep it divided. True secularism is found in universal laws, such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) mandated by Article 44 of the Constitution. Advocating for separate personal laws for different religions, as CONgress does, subordinates national identity to religious identity, a practice many now label as Pseudo-Secularism.

Civilizational Correction as Secularism

Critics often label BJP as “Pro-Hindu,” but this is better understood as a much-needed civilizational correction and restoration of India’s indigenous identity, which was suppressed for decades. Indian Voters have increasingly realised that this restoration poses no danger to the secular fabric of the nation. For proof, one only needs to look at the various temple projects undertaken by the current government. Unlike direct monetary handouts to a specific community, these projects are infrastructure and tourism drivers that benefit the entire ecosystem around the site, contributes to the national economy and helps every Indian citizen regardless of their faith.

Responsibility of the Citizen

Ultimately, secularism is the responsibility of every Indian, not just the majority. It cannot be an “affirmative action” program where only one minority i.e. Muslims is the beneficiary of state largesse while being excluded from the duties required to maintain the nation’s secular character. By moving toward a single set of laws governing marriage, divorce, and inheritance for all citizens, the current narrative is shifting the focus back to the individual’s relationship with the state, rather than the state’s relationship with a vote bank.

Drastic Choice: Reform or Relic

Ultimately, CONgress stands at a historical crossroads where path of least resistance leads to total irrelevance. Current trajectory suggests that party has become a vehicle for a single family’s survival rather than a national movement. There is no future for the organization unless it undergoes a radical, systemic overhaul that likely begins with the unthinkable, moving beyond shadow of the Gandhi family. To remain a viable force, CONgress must transform into a truly meritocratic and grassroots-oriented Indian party, one that values electoral performance over lineage and substance over slogans. Until the party finds the courage to decouple its identity from a dynasty that has presided over ninety-nine defeats, it will continue to hollow out, eventually becoming nothing more than a footnote in the history of the democracy it once dominated.

Bottom Line: Regional Erasure vs Kerala Crutch

Recent 2026 assembly elections have once again exposed CONgress party’s dwindling national footprint, masked only by a singular, desperate victory in Kerala. While party celebrates UDF’s return to power in Keralam, broader picture reveals a pathetic performance across several key battlegrounds. In West Bengal, party has been reduced to a literal footnote, securing a mere two seats in a 294-member house, an erasure so complete it signals the end of its relevance in the state. Similarly, in Assam, despite high-decibel campaigns, party trailed far behind the BJP, failing to stop the NDA from securing a record victory and historic third term.

In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the story was no different. In Tamil Nadu, CONgress remained a junior, almost invisible partner, managing only five seats as state’s political landscape was upended by the dramatic debut of actor Vijay’s TVK. In Puducherry, NDA comfortably retained power, leaving CONgress with negligible gains. Irony is palpable, Rahul Gandhi and co, appears happy and contented with a coalition victory in Kerala, using it as a crutch to deflect from the fact that they have been nearly wiped off the map in Bengal, TN, and Assam. This tendency to treat a lone regional win as a national vindication only proves CONgress ‘s growing comfort with mediocrity, even as its foundation crumbles across the rest of the country.

An important observation that proves the point being made earlier on Secularism is the results from Assam Assembly elections which has provided perhaps the most stark evidence yet of CONgress party’s tactical retreat into a specific religious corner. In a house of 126 members, CONgress managed to secure only 19 seats, but demographic breakdown of these winners is what has sent shockwaves through political landscape: 18 out of the 19 newly elected CONgress MLAs are Muslims. Out of the 79 non-Muslim candidates the party fielded across the state, a staggering 78 were rejected by the voters, leaving only one Hindu representative to carry the party flag in the assembly. This outcome is not merely an electoral loss, it is a total collapse of the party’s claim to being a broad-based, inclusive platform in the Northeast. By fielding 20 Muslim candidates and seeing 18 of them win, CONgress achieved an incredibly high conversion rate within a single community, while simultaneously becoming untouchable for the state’s majority population. Data suggests that while CONgress was busy playing Religion Card to consolidate a specific vote bank, it effectively abdicated its role as a representative of the indigenous Assamese identity. From the BJP’s perspective, the narrative of CONgress being a “Muslim League 2.0” has been validated not by rhetoric, but by the party’s own winner’s list.

The End Game in Sight

The Great Bengal Uprooting: Grassroots Meets the Mower

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Final Nail in Trinamool 2026 Coffin

Historic Tectonic Shift in Bengal

2026 Assembly elections will be etched in history as tectonic shift that brought 15-year era to dramatic close. All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which once reigned as unstoppable force of nature across Bengal, witnessed historic decimation. Party managed to secure only 80 seats, while BJP surged ahead with commanding majority of 207. Even the unbeatable Mamata Banerjee faced defeat in her own Bhabanipur stronghold against Suvendu Adhikari.  Her second defeat against same opponent after her first defeat in 2021. This massive collapse was not consequence of solitary error but rather perfect storm of systemic failures that eroded party’s very foundation over time.

Rise of the Nemesis: Suvendu Adhikari

The Giant-Killer Suvendu Adhikari

Central to this shift was Suvendu Adhikari, who transformed from TMC’s crown jewel into Mamata Banerjee’s ultimate nemesis. Once the architect of party’s rural expansion and hero of Nandigram movement, Adhikari was effectively forced out as he grew disenchanted with rising influence of Abhishek Banerjee and dynasty politics. Feeling sidelined despite his massive grassroots contribution, he resigned in 2020 and joined BJP. His exit was not just loss of a leader but loss of party’s organizational backbone. By 2026, he cemented his giant killer status by defeating Mamata Banerjee in her own bastion of Bhabanipur while simultaneously holding his rural fortress in Nandigram. His deep knowledge of TMC’s internal machinery allowed him to dismantle their strategies from within, proving that his 2021 victory was no fluke but start of a new political era.

Corruption Fatigue and Cut-Money Culture

Teachers Recruitment Scam and Subscription Cuts

For many years, TMC was constantly followed by allegations of cut-money, where local leaders took commissions from welfare beneficiaries, and syndicates that acted as cartels for construction supplies. By 2026, cumulative weight of these scandals finally reached breaking point. Middle class was particularly haunted by ghost of teacher recruitment scams. Sight of deserving candidates protesting on streets while party leaders were found with huge piles of cash became unforgivable symbol of systemic rot. In rural Bengal, daily subscriptions demanded by local units for house building or trade licenses alienated Manush (people) whom party claimed to represent.

Safety Deficit and Shadow of RG Kar

Ratna Debnath (Mother of RG Kar Rape and Murder Victim) Winner in Panihati

Perhaps most damaging blow to Mamata Banerjee’s personal brand as protector of women was RG Kar Medical College tragedy. TMC’s primary strength had always been loyal base of female voters, maintained through schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar. However, perception of deliberately botched investigation and protection of proteges within hospital administration created deep sense of betrayal among urban and educated women. Symbolically, mother of RG Kar victim contested and won her seat, acting as living indictment of government’s failure to ensure basic safety for its citizens.

The Horror of Sandeshkhali and Rekha Patra’s Rise

Rekha Patra (Sandeshkali Victim) – Winner of Hingalganj

Perhaps most harrowing symbol of state’s decay was Sandeshkhali incident, which broke facade of “Ma, Mati, Manush.” Reports of systemic sexual exploitation of women and forceful land grabbing by local strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates sent shockwaves through Bengal. Villagers recounted tales of women being summoned to party offices at ungodly hours under threat of violence. For years, local administration and police were perceived as being complicit, remaining silent while strongmen operated with total impunity. This betrayal of trust turned Sandeshkhali into symbol of resistance, personified by Rekha Patra. A local homemaker who dared to speak out against atrocities, Patra emerged as face of the movement. Her journey from being a victim of intimidation to winning the 2026 election from Hingalganj seat for the BJP served as a powerful validation of the public’s anger. Her victory proved that even loyal vote banks have breaking point when dignity is at stake.

Atmosphere of Intimidation and Rule of Terror

Reign of Terror – A Decade Captured in this Image

Beyond specific scandals, there was pervasive sense of fear that defined TMC’s tenure. Whether purely perception or ground reality, majority of electorate saw state as being under rule of terror, where political dissent was met with immediate violence. Local strongmen dominated neighbourhood life, and general public felt that state machinery was being used to silence anyone who dared to speak up. This climate of constant intimidation created deep-seated resentment; while people may have remained silent for years out of self-preservation, they used ballot box in 2026 to finally speak against what they viewed as oppressive regime.

Erosion of Decorum and Cultural Alienation

Uncultured, Uncouth & Intemperate Language and Vile Threats
Bengalis take Pride in being Polished & Cultured

Aggressive and often uncouth rhetoric from top leadership further pushed voters away. Leading figures frequently resorted to gutter-level threats and vile language that shocked traditional Bengali sensibilities. Controversial songs and provocative behaviour by Mamata Banerjee herself created perception of party that had lost its dignity. This hostility often appeared targeted towards Hindu rituals and traditions, which many felt were being mocked or marginalized. Simultaneously, party was seen as pampering minority communities, not through genuine development but by playing up to their fears regarding BJP coming to power. This divisive strategy, intended to consolidate one vote bank, ended up deeply polarizing and alienating large section of broader electorate who felt their own cultural identity was under attack.

Impact of Special Intensive Revision

2026 election also saw massive cleanup of electoral rolls through Special Intensive Revision (SIR), leading to deletion of over 91 lakh names—nearly 12% of total electorate. Though TMC alleged that this was targeted move to disenfranchise its core supporters, including minorities and urban poor, their grassroot workers conceded that those removed from the Electoral list were dead, migrated or illegal migrants (barring a few exceptions). In Bhabanipur specifically, 47,000 names were deleted, which was significantly higher than Mamata’s margin of defeat. Whether these were ghost voters or legitimate supporters, their absence from polling booths crippled party’s traditional arithmetic and contributed to its downfall. Just for records, there were many states including BJP ruled ones, that underwent an Intensive Revision. No one made it an issue like how Mamata Banerjee and co did, probably anticipating the obvious Electoral results.

Is Voter-Exclusion a new problem? It has always been a a long-standing issue that didn’t start with SIR. Burden of enrollment has historically been on us as Voters, and many never took it seriously. They thought that the paperwork and the process was too cumbersome. A lot of organisations have been running campaigns taking it to doorsteps to help people enrol. We know how bad the response even then was. In the past it was individual apathy that led to exclusion. Critics are after SIR because it is a top-down push. Earlier, if you weren’t on the list, it was because you didn’t register. With SIR names are removed by authorities based on their data. The only pitfall (if we may call it so) in the current round of SIR is potential margin of error when a massive volume of data is processed quickly to meet a deadline. In some cases, this has lead to situations where living, resident citizens are marked as moved or deceased. It is also believed that SIR relied on linking data from Aadhaar or previous rolls. While this perfectly ok as it catches duplicates, there is a fat chance that it can exclude people whose data doesn’t match across platforms due to typos or technical glitches. Ultimately, the limited point is, voter initiative is the primary driver. Whether it’s SIR or just a routine revision, responsibility usually falls back on us to check the List to ensure our right to vote remains intact.

The End of Chappa Voting

For years, booth-jamming and proxy voting was the Strategy

A significant factor in the 2026 collapse was the strict crackdown on chappa voting, a notorious form of rigging where voters would arrive at booths only to find their votes already cast by party workers. For years, booth-jamming and proxy voting were seen as the TMC’s secret weapon to maintain power in rural areas. However, the Election Commission’s zero-tolerance approach in 2026, involving 100% webcasting and a Delhi War Room that monitored booths in real-time, effectively neutralized this tactic. By ensuring chappa-free polls, the commission allowed the silent, suppressed majority to vote freely for the first time in over a decade, stripping the TMC of its ability to artificially inflate its mandate

Fragmentation of Minority Vote

Crumbling of the Muslim Vote Bank.

Since 2011, Muslim vote, comprising roughly 27–30% of state, acted as Great Wall for TMC. In 2026, that wall finally cracked. Rise of Humayun Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and steady presence of ISF (Indian Secular Front) offered community viable alternatives. In many constituencies, Muslim vote split three ways between TMC, Left-Congress alliance, and AJUP. This strategic split allowed BJP to cruise to victory in several minority-heavy districts where TMC previously enjoyed total monopoly.

Economic Stagnation versus Progress

Voters are Aspirational-TMC had nothing to offer but doles

BJP successfully framed election as choice between stagnation and progress. Narrative that Bengal had become industrial wasteland under TMC began to resonate strongly with youth. While doles like Lakshmir Bhandar helped poor survive, they did not create actual jobs. And the middlemen cut added to the woes of the deserving. BJP’s promise of Double Engine government to bring big-ticket investments and central schemes like Ayushman Bharat proved more attractive to younger generation than TMC’s promise of merely increasing monthly doles.

Negativity and Lack of Visionary Agenda

Nothing Substantive-Negtivity At its Peak defined their Campaign

Trinamool campaign of 2026 was notably hollow, relying almost entirely on negativity rather than offering substantive path forward. Instead of presenting revolutionary solutions for state’s industrial or educational development, party remained obsessed with attacking opponents. Narrative was built on fear-mongering and past grudges, leaving voters with no positive or inspiring reason to extend mandate. While other parties spoke of modernization and infrastructure, TMC’s messaging felt stuck in reactive mode. This lack of forward-looking, constructive agenda made it clear to public that party had run out of ideas to govern effectively in rapidly changing economic landscape.

Failure of Regionalist Narrative

In 2021, TMC won by painting BJP as Bohiragoto or outsiders, but by 2026, this tactic completely failed. As son of soil and former TMC heavyweight, Suvendu Adhikari neutralized outsider tag. BJP successfully localized its leadership, making battle feel like civil war between “Bengali vs Bengali” rather than “Bengal vs Delhi.” Furthermore, BJP effectively wove national identity into local fabric of icons like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Tagore and Vivekananda, making their ideology feel like homecoming rather than external import.

Verdict of the People

2026 results suggest that Bengal Model of welfare-plus-street-muscle reached its expiration date. Voters, fatigued by decade and half of same faces and local-level intimidation, decided that financial safety net of doles was no longer fair trade for lack of jobs and erosion of law and order. For Trinamool Congress, 2026 is Genesis in reverse, year they must return to drawing board to see if they can survive as party without absolute power they once wielded.

Paradox of Issue-Based Party like Trinamool

In anatomy of political history, ideology serves as skeleton that holds party upright. Without it, body is merely collection of muscles reacting to immediate stimuli. For TMC, 2026 decimation is clinical study in this reality, party born of moment, rather than mantra, is destined to fade when that moment passes. TMC was never built on bedrock of grand socio-economic theory like Marxism or civilizational vision like Hindutva. It was reactive entity fuelled by singular objective, removal of Left Front through struggle of rural dispossessed in Singur and Nandigram.

Sustainability of Non-Ideological Structure

When Mamata Banerjee toppled 34-year-old Red fortress in 2011, party achieved its primary reason for existence. For next decade, it survived on momentum of that victory and personality cult of its leader. But once the Enemy was reduced to political ghost, TMC was left with vacuum where core ideology should have been. Because it lacked rigid ideological filter, it became catch-all party of mercenaries rather than missionaries. When political tide turned in 2026, leaders lacking deep-seated loyalty deserted ship.

Identity Crisis and Personality Trap

By 2026, after 15 years in power, TMC was the Establishment. They could no longer play victim of state overreach because they held state’s levers. “Ma, Mati, Manush” slogan was replaced by modern grievances like urban safety and industrial jobs. Having no ideological framework to adapt, party continued using 1990s street-fighting tactics for 2020s problems. In absence of written ideology, leader’s whim became law, which only works while leader is winning. When BJP dismantled aura of Mamata’s invincibility, single-pillar structure of TMC collapsed because it lacked organizational depth to survive loss of its top leader’s influence.

Final Historical Lesson

Party Stands on Ideology-Not on Issues

Story of Trinamool Congress serves as cautionary tale of political transience. Party created to solve specific problem faces fatal dilemma once that problem is solved or cause becomes irrelevant. Without “Permanent Why” that transcends current news cycle, party is just temporary coalition of interests. Voters of Bengal moved on from grievances of 2000s, but TMC remained prisoner of its own origin story. By 2026, Grassroots were uprooted not only due to lack of efforts, but by lack of lasting reason to exist in changing world and activation of their Self-Destruct Button.

Sabarimala: A Living Tradition, Not a Historical or Legal Artifact

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Shri Dharma Shasta Temple in Sabarimala & Its Non-Negotiable Traditions

Beyond the Menstrual Myth: Naishtika Brahmacharya of Sabarimala
The discourse surrounding the Sabarimala hill shrine is frequently reduced to a conflict between modernity and superstition, mischaracterizing restriction on women of reproductive age as a product of menstrual impurity. However, within the framework of Hindu temple traditions (Agama Shastras), the practice is rooted in sovereign nature of the deity’s consecration, a reality that exists in a sphere beyond reach of a deracinated Constitution or secular legal frameworks. This is a compilation with highlights of talks that I have delivered in various forums (both intellectual and spiritual platforms)

Deity & God
While the terms are often used interchangeably, they carry different nuances in theology, philosophy, and linguistics. In Hinduism,manifestations of Bhagwan Ayyappa (since we are on His subject), is a perfect way to see the difference between God and Deity & how they blend together.

  • God: In the highest sense, it is referring to the supreme, all-powerful energy that runs the universe. In Ayyappa’s case, this supreme nature is shown through his birth. He is called Hariharaputra, meaning he is son of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). By combining the powers of the Preserver and the Destroyer, Ayyappa represents the total, absolute power of God in a single form. He is seen as the Dharma Shastha, the eternal protector of Righteousness and cosmic order.
  • Deity: It is the specific way that supreme power manifests in a particular place or for a particular purpose. For example, at the famous Sabarimala temple, Ayyappa is worshipped as a specific kind of deity, a Naishtika Brahmachari (an eternal celibate). In this form, he is shown sitting in a unique yogic pose (Yogarudha Siddhasana), teaching to Bhaktas how to achieve self-control and mental strength.
    • However, in Achankovil, he is worshipped as a different deity, a Grihasta king with his consorts, Purna & Pushkala, in Kulathupuzha in Balaroopa (Child) and in Aryankavu (Youth) While the God (the divine spirit) is the same, Deity (the form and personality) changes depending on the temple.
    • So, in simple terms, God is the infinite power of Vishnu and Shiva living within him, while the Deity is the specific version of Ayyappa, whether as a child, a king, or a forest yogi, that a devotee talks to and prays to in a temple.

Deity’s Abode vs. Place of Worship
The single biggest challenge in this discourse is convincing modern observers of the distinction between a place of worship and an Abode of God. A Place Of Worship is a facility for humans and an Abode is the home of a Living Deity.

  • Deity as a Person: Legally and traditionally, the Deity is a juristic person with specific rights with status of a perpetual minor. Just as a person has the right to privacy or to set the rules for their own home, the Deity at Sabarimala has the right to maintain His chosen form. Humans can at best be just trustees of His properties never the owners.
  • Kuch Jaankar, Kuch Maankar: In Sanatana Dharma, our practices are based on this dictum. Do Knowing why we do, or Do because you accept (you may not know why) (Kuch Jaankar Chalo, Kuch Maankar Chalo). Relying solely on secular logic for a spiritual space is like using a ruler to measure sound. It is the wrong tool for the task.

Fallacy of Past Violations arguments
Naysayers often hunt for historical evidence to force a change in tradition. Even though records from over 200 years ago confirm these restrictions existed, people cite recent, unsubstantiated instances of entry as proof that the tradition isn’t absolute. However, this logic is fundamentally flawed:

  • Violation vs. Validation: Agreeing for the sake of argument that such entries occurred, it doesn’t cease to be a violation. Just because laws against murder or theft are broken in society does not make those acts legal or the law invalid.
  • Remedy or Parihara: If a person of the restricted age entered, tradition provides for a Parihara (atonement ritual) to restore the sanctity of the space. The act of breaking a rule doesn’t dissolve the rule. It merely necessitates a remedy. It is just like a crime and punishment in our modern deracinated law.
Beyond Constitution or Deracinated Laws

Devaprashnam, The Divine Enquiry
Devaprashanam is a sophisticated ritual used in Vedic astrology and temple traditions to decipher the will of the deity.  It is typically performed when a temple faces difficulties, before major renovations, or to investigate causes of unexplained mishaps. The process (as I observed during construction of Ayyappa Temple in Bengaluru) is meticulous and involved several key stages:

  • Preparation: Astrologer (Daivajna) and temple priests observe strict vows of purity. A specific area is sanctified, and a Padma (lotus mandala) is drawn using coloured powders.
  • Invoking Presence: Through sacred mantras, Divine energy is invited into a ceremonial lamp (Deepam) or a gold coin.
  • Rashi Chakra: A diagram representing zodiac is prepared. The most pivotal moment involves a Swarna-Prashnam. A gold coin is washed in holy water and sandalwood paste. A young child, chosen for their innocence and lack of bias, is asked to place the coin on one of the twelve houses of the zodiac drawn on the floor. The house where the coin lands becomes the Aaroodha Lagna, the focal point of entire reading. This position reveals current state of the deity’s energy.
  • The Nimitta (Omens): The astrologer observes everything—the flame of the lamp, the breath of the questioner, and even external sounds or bird flights—to gather clues.
  • Ashtamangala Calculation: Using 108 small seashells (cowries), astrologer performs complex mathematical calculations (reduction process) he determines a single digit number, called the Ashtamangala number, which reveals the root of the problem and the required remedies, predicting everything from the health of the temple structure to the satisfaction of the presiding deity.

The final verdict provides a roadmap for Parihara (atonement rituals) to restore spiritual sanctity of the deity’s abode.

Daiva Iccha, Will of The Deity
In Hindu tradition, a temple is not merely a place of prayer but the residence of a living deity, a juristic person with specific attributes. The rules of a temple are governed by Deva Iccha (the Will of Deity), which is periodically ascertained through a Devaprashnam, an astrological ritual used to interpret divine intent. Agamas are not about Aesthetics, it is the will of the Divine

  • Practice as a Living Tradition: A Devaprashnam can determine that a specific practice must change or be upheld to maintain the sanctity of the deity’s presence.
    • Certain practices in Guruvayur had to be discontinued as the Devaprasnam revealed that will of Bhagwan Guruvayurappan is stopping that. For e.g.  Shayanapradakshine (Anga Pradakshine, or Urulu Seve) by women was not liked by Deity & stopped in recent times
    • Similarly Sri Basaveshwara Temple in 7th Hoskote, Madikeri District had to shift the Upadevalayas (by demolishing and reconstructing a newly built temple) based on a Devaprashnam since the Presiding Deity was not happy with location of upadevalayas
  • Sabarimala Context: As noted in the writings on yensures.com (particularly regarding the spiritual context of the Kerala Floods), these traditions are not static artifacts but living pulses of faith. If a Devaprashnam reveals that the Devahita (Will of the Deity) requires a particular course of action, that becomes the tradition, regardless of modern secular interpretations.

Tradition Over Codification: Insights from Sanatana Dharma
One of the common traps modern learned observers fall into is seeking a single user manual or scriptural code for Hindu practices. Unlike Desert Cults who are governed by a single book which is their manual, Sanatana Dharma is not always codified in a single book.

  • Diverse Variants: Rituals often vary by family or Sangha. For instance, while some families strictly wear black for the Sabarimala pilgrimage, others may follow different color codes. Neither is wrong, as these practices are often born of sincere, localized tradition rather than a rigid central command.
  • Spirit of Worship: Whether it is an elderly woman teaching her grandchild a unique way to worship at a Banyan tree or the specific rituals of a Sadhak, validity lies in the sincerity (Bhava) and tradition handed down through generations.

Fallacy of Historicity
The modern obsession with Historicity (proving when a practice started) is a byproduct of the Desert Cult or Abrahamic mindset. These faiths rely on a linear timeline: a spiritual chief appeared, a book was written, and rules were codified at a specific moment in history and they departed.

  • Conflict: If you treat Sanatana Dharma like a historical artifact, you try to box Sri Rama or Sri Krishna into a timeline. Figures like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna are beyond time, what they symbolised or lessons from their lives are true for all Yugas. When you try to make them or our practices historical, it suits an agenda that seeks to prove a practice is recent and therefore changeable.
  • The Truth: For a Sadhak, truth is Sanatana (eternal). Practices like the Sabarimala pilgrimage are beyond the reach of a calendar. Whether a rule was written down 2,000 years ago or established via Devaprashnam 20 years ago, its validity remains identical because both originate from the same source The Divine Will.
  • To summarise, In Tantric (Agama) Shastras, a practice becomes tradition because it is the revealed Will of the Deity. Its age or historical proof is irrelevant to its spiritual validity. Using the lack of historical evidence to force a change in tradition is a fundamental misunderstanding of how a consecrated space operates.

Why Sabarimala is Unique
A common critique asks why other Ayyappa temples allow women if Sabarimala does not. The answer lies in the Prana Pratishtha (consecration), differentiated right in the beginning of this article – Deities and God.

  • Naishtika Brahmachari: At Sabarimala, Bhagwan Ayyappa is in a state of intense, perennial celibacy.
  • Functional Requirement: Exclusion of women of a certain age is a functional requirement to maintain the specific energy of this shrine. It is not a moral judgment on women or a statement on impurity, but a respect for the deity’s chosen form of penance.

Conclusion: Resisting Armchair Intervention
Whether it is the sudden environmental concern over Deepavali crackers or the legal intervention into temple customs, these often stem from an echo chamber of armchair experts who place the onus of proof on the believer. However, for the true Sadhak, the tradition is self-evident, anchored in Deva Iccha, and preserved through the lived experience of generations.

For further reading: You can refer to more detailed perspectives on these traditions and the spiritual significance of regional events at yensures.com.

#KeralaFloods: Devaprashnam – Conversation with the Divine in Sabarimala & Warnings Ignored
Prasnamarga and Historicity
#SaveSabarimalaTradition-Potency of Protest