Written by

Bhagirathsinhji Solanki

Article: “

The last Congress government at the Centre ruled India from 2004 to 2014 under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh. This government functioned as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), supported by several regional parties. During the first term, India witnessed strong economic growth, the launch of landmark welfare schemes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the Right to Education Act, and the National Health Mission. India also gained significant global recognition through its foreign policy initiatives.

However, in the second term, corruption scandals such as the 2G spectrum case, the Commonwealth Games controversy, and coal block allocations overshadowed achievements. Rising inflation and lack of adequate job creation created public dissatisfaction. In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a historic victory, ending the decade-long Congress rule at the Centre.

In Gujarat, the last full Congress government was in power between 1990 and 1995. Later, in 1996, Shankersinh Vaghela briefly led a government after breaking away from Congress. Since then, Gujarat has seen uninterrupted BJP rule. Over time, public fatigue has grown with a single party dominating power for decades. Issues such as unemployment, rising inflation, farmers’ distress, healthcare and education shortcomings, excessive privatization, and policies favoring big corporates have fueled anti-BJP sentiments.

The most prominent grievances against the BJP are inflation and unemployment. Rising fuel and food prices have placed a heavy burden on ordinary citizens. The middle class is strained under taxes, farmers are struggling for fair prices, and young people face bleak job prospects. While large corporates receive incentives, small and medium enterprises remain neglected. Allegations of media control, pressure on democratic institutions, and suppression of dissenting voices have further contributed to public frustration.

Congress, on the other hand, still carries the goodwill of its historic legacy. As India’s oldest political party, it played a crucial role in the freedom struggle and in strengthening democracy post-independence. The Congress governments in the past launched welfare-driven schemes, empowering the poor, farmers, and the middle class. NREGA provided rural employment, the Right to Education secured children’s rights, and the National Health Mission expanded healthcare services. Its ideology of inclusiveness and secular harmony still resonates with many sections of society.

Today, there is a growing demand for political change. In a democracy, power is not meant to remain permanently with one party. Regular transitions bring accountability, fresh energy, and new hope. Citizens, particularly youth, farmers, and the middle class, are increasingly looking for alternatives. A return of Congress or a similar inclusive force could reintroduce policies of social justice, welfare, and equitable development.

Thus, from the last Congress government at the Centre to today’s one-sided dominance in Gujarat and elsewhere, India’s political story highlights the inevitability of change. The public is showing signs of fatigue with prolonged single-party rule, and the desire for a more balanced, welfare-oriented, and people-centric governance is becoming stronger. Ultimately, it is the people’s vote that will decide the course of India’s democracy, and the demand for change is now louder than ever.