Will MNREGA vs. VB-G-RAM-GA be a key issue in upcoming elections, what will CWC meeting today focus on?
MNREGA-vs-VB-G-RAM-G: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a rural employment guarantee scheme launched under the UPA government, has been replaced by the new VB-G RAM G Act in 2025, which has received presidential assent. Following this change, the Congress party is working on a strategy to keep the issue politically alive. In this context, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled for Saturday in New Delhi is considered crucial.
For the Congress, this issue is not merely a matter of political reaction, but also an opportunity to strengthen its hold among rural, Dalit, OBC, and marginalized communities.
Cong preparing to return to issues like livelihoods and employment
The Congress considers MNREGA one of its greatest policy achievements and has consistently presented it as a legacy of the UPA government. Party leaders believe that the new law can provide the Congress with an opportunity to regain its position among these segments of the population. After a partial resurgence in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had made social justice its central narrative.
However, allegations of "vote theft" and the capture of institutions did not garner the expected support. Now, the party is preparing to return to issues like livelihoods and employment, as the Congress assesses that a direct attack on rural employment could be more electorally damaging for the BJP.
Can issue of rural employment become a common platform
The Congress is adopting this strategy at a time when assembly elections are due next year in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam. The Congress leadership believes that the issue of rural employment can become a common platform on which opposition parties can unite.
An opportunity to reactivate the INDIA alliance?
Since the new law increases the financial burden on the states, it could also provide an opportunity to reactivate the INDIA alliance. In this context, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is being seen as a potential partner, especially in West Bengal, where the TMC has already linked its rural employment program, 'Karmashree', to Mahatma Gandhi's name.
Over the past week, senior Congress leaders such as P. Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, Anand Sharma, Pawan Khera, and Rajiv Shukla have traveled to various parts of the country to present the party's stance. According to party sources, more than 50 press conferences were held between December 19 and 22. On December 20, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi released a video message addressing the government's attacks on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
Challenges for Cong
However, the Congress also faces some significant challenges. Currently, the Congress has a limited number of dedicated cadres, and sustaining large-scale public movements has always been difficult for the party. The party has previously struggled to maintain momentum on issues such as demonetization, GST, and the Rafale deal. A senior leader said, “We hope to maintain continuous pressure on the government on this issue. The CWC meeting is being held with this expectation.”
The Congress is now indicating a shift in its electoral narrative, moving away from institutional debates and focusing on issues like employment and livelihoods. The campaign against the VB-G RAM G Act is considered part of this strategic shift.
Prakash Kumar Pandey