Nearly two years after the Congress party’s defeat in the Madhya Pradesh state elections, senior leader Rahul Gandhi visited Bhopal to address party workers. During the event, a particular statement by Gandhi has gone viral, causing a stir among Congress ranks and sparking widespread discussion.

The Viral Statement

Speaking metaphorically, Rahul Gandhi compared Congress workers and leaders to three types of horses:

Race Horses
Wedding Procession (Baraat) Horses
Lame Horses

Gandhi said, “Sometimes the Congress party sends a race horse to a wedding procession, and sometimes a wedding horse is made to run in a race. But there is a third category as well—a lame horse.” He emphasized the need to identify and assign roles appropriately: “Send the wedding horse to the procession, the race horse to the race, and retire the lame horse—let them eat grass and rest.”

This analogy, delivered in the presence of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, has left party workers speculating about whom Gandhi was referring to. Notably, Kamal Nath’s son, Nakul Nath, was absent from the event, fueling further rumors.

Underlying Message and Party Dynamics

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks are being interpreted as an ultimatum to senior Congress leaders and workers, urging those who are no longer effective to step aside. He acknowledged that while many party members work tirelessly, there are also those who seem exhausted and unable to keep up with the party’s pace.

The statement is seen as a call to end factionalism within the Madhya Pradesh Congress, a problem that has plagued the party for years. Since the 2018 assembly election victory under Kamal Nath’s leadership, the Congress government lasted only 15 months due to internal defections. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party failed to win even a single seat in the state—a performance that highlighted deep-rooted divisions.

Factionalism and Leadership Challenges

The Congress in Madhya Pradesh has long been divided among camps led by figures such as Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Suresh Pachouri, and Ajay Singh. Despite changing state presidents and in-charges multiple times in the past seven years, the party’s electoral fortunes have not improved. In fact, the only seat Congress won in 2019, Chhindwara, was also lost in 2024.

Several senior leaders even refused to contest the recent elections, which many believe is what Gandhi meant by the “lame horses” who need to be retired.

Looking Ahead

Rahul Gandhi’s candid remarks reflect the Congress high command’s growing frustration with persistent infighting and underperformance in Madhya Pradesh. His call to “retire the lame horses” is being seen as a clear message that only those willing and able to work for the party’s revival will be given responsibilities going forward.