The recent defection of eight of the Congress party’s eleven MLAs in Goa to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a serious blow to the party’s chances of retaining power in the state. In the most recent state assembly, there were members of the Congress party who defected from Goa.

Even more stunning is the fact that the Congress MLAs who defected had previously taken an oath on the Constitution, stating that they would not desert the party if they were successful in the assembly elections held earlier this year. At the point of fact, they had vowed the very same thing in each of their various places of worship.

As a consequence of this, the traitors have a legitimate argument that they were motivated by the desire to obtain riches and prestige. We have no choice but to hold out hope that the electorate will recall their dishonesty in the upcoming election. The activities of the traitors, on the other hand, bring attention to a deeper systemic issue, which Congress must now address.

Members of the party are either unmotivated or pessimistic about their chances of success in the future since there is no strong and motivating leadership in place. Because of this, a powerful BJP that is well-funded is able to easily control them.

As a result, Congress must immediately find a solution to the leadership impasse it currently faces. It is correct that preparations are being made by the party to hold elections for the presidency. However, Rahul Gandhi is now travelling across the country as part of the “Bharat Jodo” yatra. As a consequence of this, one cannot help but ask if the new president of the Congress will have decisive influence or whether Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family would continue to operate as puppet masters.

The conventional duopoly structure of the BJP is no longer feasible for the party because of the aggression with which it is currently operating. As a consequence of this, Congress has to get its act together. Any alternative course of action, on the other hand, would guarantee that defections like the ones that took place in Goa would continue to take place.