Why Pakistan and Congress are failing to tackle Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's making an extra effort to bolster relations with Pakistan's neighbours and the US has put Islamabad in a spot for obvious reasons.

The external enemy is rattled

India's signing pact with Iran to develop the strategic Chabahar Port, inaugurating the Friendship Dam in Afghanistan and extracting support from the US and other western countries on matters of joining the NSG and MTCR have caused enough discomfort for the neighbouring country since each of these diplomatic ventures have shrunk its space in international politics. [Why India is becoming a global darling today while Pakistan is losing out]

The internal enemy is in shambles

Modi's internal enemy---the Congress---too is worried. Since Modi's third straight victory in Gujarat Assembly election in 2012 end, the Congress has only experienced repeated electoral reverses.

Barring the victories in Himachal Pradesh in 2012 end, in Karnataka and Meghalaya in 2013, finishing as a part of the winning alliance in Bihar in 2015 and coming to power in Puducherry in 2016, the Congress has not tasted any success.

On the contrary, it lost several states like Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir (the alliance between the ruling National Conference and Congress though was broken before the poll), Kerala and Assam besides the big one---the Lok Sabha election. The grand-old party is now deeply concerned about the upcoming UP polls.

Both of Modi's foes---external and internal---are facing existential crisis. Is it the Modi factor which has pushed both Pakistan and Congress to the corner? Or is there some other factor responsible for such outcome which has made Modi's supporters elated?

Both Pakistan & Congress are fast losing relevance because they are not keeping pace with changing times

Both Pakistan and Congress have one similarity in their stories and it is that similarity which has seen them failing to match Modi. It is about their anachronistic identity. Pakistan has kept itself a prisoner of the past and refused to rise through the ranks as the post-liberalisation India has done in the last 25 years.

Pakistan hasn't seen beyond its army

Dominated by the army for the most part of history, it has not looked beyond nuclear armament and missiles and devoted all its energy on the military aspects that continued since the era of the Cold War when it enjoyed the patronage of the US to prevent the spread of the Soviet influence in southern Asia.

The lack of a democratic growth in Pakistan also saw it failing in civilian fields. The name of Pakistan is taken with the Taliban and terrorism at best.

Congress hasn't thought beyond the Gandhis

The Congress, similarly hasn't grown beyond the stature of the Gandhis. It has not changed its outlook even as India has changed post liberalisation. Plagued by a stagnant leadership devoid of any fresh thinking, the Congress has found no answer to Modi's Blitzkrieg which is powered by the popular support for the prime minister.

Being reduced to the worst-ever size in Parliament and with the Gandhis becoming weaker, the Congress is a toothless entity today which has shown signs of implosion.

Both Pakistan and the Congress need to come of age in their thinking if they aim to compete with Modi who is cruising at the moment.

Pak needs to rediscover its worth; Congress needs to rethink its approach

While Islamabad needs to look at asserting itself as a soft power with thrust on issues like trade, energy and knowledge-driven economy, the Congress needs to align its approach and thinking with the aspirations of the new India.

None of them have actually updated themselves to the new realities of the 21st century and hence failing to erase the lead that a wiser Modi has taken over them.