Congress: Not quite as gloomy as they look

The party has improved its strike rate in terms of number of seats won per seat contested

The Indian National Congress’s humiliating defeat in the recent Assembly elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, is symbolic of the party’s present condition. It is going through one of its worst slumps in its post-Independence history, and many digital bytes have suggested a surgical strike on its leadership and a complete overhaul of the party machinery. Data, however, suggest a more nuanced picture. In various Assembly elections since its defeat in the 2014 general elections, the party has actually improved its strike rate in terms of number of seats won per seat contested, although it has contested fewer seats. Not only