Archive · 30 Aug 2026
After Jantar Mantar, BJP and Congress Face Internal Tests
A student protest at Jantar Mantar made some political problems easier to see.
Students were worried about education, jobs and exam paper leaks.
The protest also drew attention to complaints about prices, corruption and fear of speaking against the government.
The article says the BJP is powerful but is showing signs of tiredness and disagreement inside its organisation.
It also says Rahul Gandhi is connecting with some voters by speaking about these issues.
However, his activities do not always involve the Congress party’s wider organisation.
Congress still has problems such as infighting and weak state-level structures.
The writer says both parties must understand what the student movement revealed and decide how to change.
The student agitation at Jantar Mantar has exposed public discontent over education, jobs, exam leaks, prices and corruption.
The BJP faces criticism over institutional control, ideological priorities, bulldozer justice, caste tensions and the Ayodhya temple donation controversy.
Internal unease is reportedly growing within the BJP over leadership appointments, party expansion and the influence of political consultancies.
Rahul Gandhi is gaining recognition for raising student and public issues, but his activism often appears to operate independently of Congress.
Congress continues to struggle with organisational inertia, factional infighting and unresolved leadership structures in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
- Who
- The Bharatiya Janata Party, the Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, students and voters are central to the article.
- What
- A student movement at Jantar Mantar has highlighted political vulnerabilities and organisational problems facing the BJP and Congress.
- When
- The discussion follows the Jantar Mantar agitation and refers to developments during a June journey through Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly election.
- Where
- The events and political conditions discussed involve Jantar Mantar in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar and West Bengal.
- Why
- The movement and related public concerns have made dissatisfaction over education, jobs, exam leaks, prices, corruption and political governance more visible.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s position
BJP and government-side vulnerabilities
Student and public issues
Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s position
Rahul Gandhi is portrayed as persistently raising issues that resonate with students and voters, including education, jobs and alleged police inaction over a student’s injuries.
BJP and government-side vulnerabilities
The BJP is portrayed as facing growing dissatisfaction over exam leaks, prices, corruption and education policies.
Party leadership
Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s position
Congress’s wider organisation is described as failing to keep pace with Gandhi’s public outreach, while factionalism and incomplete restructuring remain unresolved.
BJP and government-side vulnerabilities
The BJP is described as experiencing internal resentment over centralised control, state-level appointments and the admission of former opponents into the party.
Political strategy
Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s position
Gandhi appears to be advancing through personal programmes and protests rather than through Congress’s established instruments, reflecting distrust of the party organisation.
BJP and government-side vulnerabilities
BJP leaders are reportedly concerned that external political consultancies are influencing decisions and weakening the party’s traditional organisational forums.
- Main focus
- How the student movement has exposed weaknesses in India’s ruling BJP and main opposition Congress.
- Student concerns
- Education, jobs and examination paper leaks are presented as major issues.
- BJP criticism
- The article criticises institutional control, ideological projects, bulldozer justice and the handling of caste-related tensions.
- BJP controversies
- The article mentions the “chanda chori” controversy at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and concerns over party appointments and consultancies.
- Rahul Gandhi
- His student programmes, protests and earlier Bharat Jodo yatras are described as improving his public perception.
- Congress organisation
- Congress is described as suffering from inertia, factional infighting and weak organisational structures.
- State-level concerns
- The article highlights unresolved party structures in Uttar Pradesh and open factional conflict in Punjab.