New Delhi, May 23: The Congress was not only humbled in Lok Sabha elections 2019, but faced a near-complete decimation, as it's party president Rahul Gandhi lost his home constituency of Amethi. The erosion of Nehru-Gandhi family bastion reflects the extent to which the Congress has been crushed in Lok Sabha elections 2019. Here are five reasons why the grand old party faced yet another rout after 2014:

No Narrative Post Balakot Strikes

Momentum had swung in favour of the Congress following the party's victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections in December last year. After Victory With Nearly 350 Seats, Modi Thanks Nation For Filling 'Fakir's Jholi'

However, the Narendra Modi regime's response to Pulwama terror threw a spanner in the Opposition's campaign in run-up to the Lok Sabha polls 2019. Twelve days after the attack which left 40 CRPF personnel dead, the "largest Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp" was targeted in a cross-border raid.

The "surgical strike" turned public sentiment in favour of the Modi regime, which was credited for being decisive enough to launch a retaliatory attack on the Pakistani non-state actors.

Fearing that a critical approach to the air raids, as posed by the Opposition following the post-Uri surgical strikes, could backfire, the anti-BJP bloc failed to adopt a definite stand.

Far from pressing the government on clearing the air on casualties inflicted, the Opposition also appeared lax in questioning the intelligence failure which led to the fidayeen attack in Pulwama on February 14.

Realpolitik Missing 

The Congress old guard, which is known for carefully crafting a mix of pre-poll and post-poll alliances ever since the party failed to win a single-majority, failed to engage in effective realpolitik ahead of general elections 2019.

In Delhi, the party failed to ink a pact with the Aam Aadmi Party -- leading a decisive victory for the BJP in all 7 seats of the National Capital Territory (NCT).

The rationale for not sailing through the pact, claim Congress insiders,  was AAP's insistence on also forming a pact in Haryana and Punjab along with Delhi.

Considering the dismal performance of Congress in Haryana -- losing all 10 seats -- the decision to turn down the AAP offers does not appear to be wise.

Similarly, the party failed to accommodate the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, an alliance of Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM and Prakash Ambedkar's Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM), in Maharashtra. In at least 8 seats of the state, the Aghadi has played a spoiler role, eating into a significant vote share of the Congress-NCP combine.

Failure to Communicate NYAY Scheme

Narendra Modi as a communicator has been far more effective as compared to other leaders of the Opposition camp. The propaganda failure hindered Congress' attempt to woo the electorate with the Nyay programme -- a solid poll plank which promised upto Rs 72,000 per year assistance to households earning less than Rs 12,000 a month.

Experts claim that Nyay would had proven to be game-changer if marketed well, and would had re-established Congress as the party "standing with the poor".

Dwindling Cadre Strength

With the Congress plunging to it's all-time electoral-low in 2014, the party was nearly exiled from power. The dwindling cadre strength weakened the party at the booth-level.

In comparison, the BJP's financial resources are stronger, apart from a base of groundworkers who are more committed to the ideology. A major section of these workers are rooted from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and have played a key role in establishing the party's dominance in Hindi heartland.

Polarisation

Even five years after the AK Antony Committee report was tabled, which blamed the Congress' "pro-Muslim" image as one the reasons why the majoritarian voters are disenchanted with it, the party has not succeeded in shedding the tag.

With BJP recalling the "saffron term" coinage during UPA era, along with loose cannons within the Congress appealing Muslims to rally behind the party, has hindered the party's prospects to win over a section of the majority community voters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2019 09:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).