The Congress party, India’s oldest political entity, has made a significant comeback in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, demonstrating a resurgence under new leadership. Once devastated by landslide defeats in 2014 and 2019, Congress is now poised to secure over 100 seats, a stark contrast to their previous performances where they won only 44 seats in 2014 and 52 in 2019.

As of Tuesday afternoon, preliminary results indicate a close contest between the BJP-led NDA alliance and the Congress-led India Alliance. The BJP, which previously enjoyed a dominant majority, is now facing substantial competition. The Congress-led alliance is currently leading in 227 seats, while the NDA leads in 301 seats.

Six states emerged as crucial battlegrounds in this election: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. Except for Andhra Pradesh, the NDA's performance has been lackluster:

Uttar Pradesh: Once a BJP stronghold, the state now shows the India Alliance leading in 43 seats, with Congress securing seven and the Samajwadi Party leading in 37.

Maharashtra: The alliance of Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar's NCP, and Congress is ahead in 30 seats, significantly outperforming the BJP and its allies.

West Bengal: The Trinamool Congress leads in 31 seats, leaving the BJP with nine.

Rahul Gandhi is leading in Rae Bareli and Karnataka's Wana, bolstering Congress's overall performance. The success in Karnataka, where Congress is ahead in 10 seats, is particularly noteworthy given their previous performance.

The resurgence of Congress and the strong showing of the India Alliance highlight a significant shift in the political landscape. While the BJP-led NDA is still leading, the reduced majority indicates that the political environment is becoming increasingly competitive.

To form a government, 272 seats are required. The NDA's current lead suggests they may achieve this, but with BJP potentially holding only around 240 seats, it underscores that the path ahead might not be straightforward for Narendra Modi and his coalition.

The Congress party's resurgence marks a pivotal moment in Indian politics. This dramatic turnaround not only revitalizes the party but also reshapes the future political discourse in India, emphasizing the importance of competitive politics in a vibrant democracy.