ET analysis: Congress in tatters But Rahul-Priyanka will still 'rule the ruins'

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Congress party's 0-3 defeat to BJP in the Hindi heartland not only marred the party's hopes in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan but also hit at the very heart of Congress' preparation for the Lok Sabha polls. The failure also clouds Congress' quest to position itself within the INDIA bloc as it can make the party prone to the pulls and pressures from regional biggies, who have already made taunting noises on the Congress' poor show.

Whither INDIA?
After not convening any INDIA meeting since mid-September by hoping it will do so from a position of strength after winning some states, Congress on Sunday advertised its resolve to convene an alliance meet.

But the date it informally floated — December 6 — made some in the Opposition camps wonder whether the poll jolts also numbed the AICC to overlook the fact that in the post-2014 politics of Hindutva resurgence, the party chose the anniversary of the Babri masjid demolition. It remains to be seen whether BJP's resurgence in key states ahead of the Lok Sabha polls will affect unity within the INDIA bloc and whether it will make some regional parties rebound to NDA or float a third front.

Modi Vs Gandhis folly
A deadly combination — of the Gandhi family's sense of entitlement and nominated party office-bearers' selfish obligation — again made the party project Rahul as its leader in perennial search for electoral jackpot despite leading Congress to its worst defeats since 2014.

Having led the UP Congress to its nadir — 2.5% votes and two assembly seats — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra now looks for an image makeover by acting as a fellow 'star campaigner' with her brother. These give BJP what it wants — the 'Modi Vs Gandhis contests' that keeps the «anti-dynasty» plank