Congress' Operation Sindoor Debate Dilemma: Veterans Sidelined, Dynasts and Lightweights in Focus

As the Lok Sabha prepares for a high-stakes debate on Operation Sindoor, the Congress Party finds itself in a familiar but worsening predicament, it lacks credible parliamentary voices to effectively lead its charge, not because it doesn’t have them, but because it won’t use them.

The debate, centered on India’s military-led rescue operation in conflict zones, is expected to be a major event in this session, allowing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to highlight its foreign policy assertiveness and humanitarian responsiveness. For Congress, this should be an opportunity to ask tough questions and scrutinize the government’s narrative. But who will do the talking?

Congress Has the Talent, But Won’t Use It

Due to the ego cetric party high command the grand old party is unwilling to learn from its repeated mistakes. Within Congress ranks sit some of Parliament’s most articulate and policy-literate minds: Shashi Tharoor, with his deep foreign policy credentials and international standing and Manish Tewari, a well-regarded voice on defence and strategic affairs. Both are ideally suited to handle the complexity and nuance that a debate like Operation Sindoor demands.

And yet, indications from within the party suggest that neither is likely to be the party’s face during the debate.

Why? The answer lies not in capability, but in internal insecurity and political control. Both Tharoor and Tewari are seen as independent-minded, occasionally critical of the high command, and not part of the loyalist inner circle. Their growing public profiles, intellectual independence, and refusal to toe every party line seem to have made them politically inconvenient, even when their expertise is most needed.

Who’s Speaking Instead? A Lineup That Raises Eyebrows

In the absence of its best-qualified voices, the Congress appears set to field a mix of lightweight MPs and dynastic regulars, none of whom have demonstrated either the depth or the credibility required to counter the government on a serious national security issue.

Praniti Shinde, Saptagiri Ulaka and Brijendra Ola, all of these relatively unknown MPs, have increasingly been pushed to the front lines in parliamentary engagements. While they represent a younger generation, they lack the experience and command of subject matter that a debate like this demands.

Then there’s the fallback on dynasts: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Gaurav Gogoi and Deepender Singh Hooda. While they bring visibility, their presence also reinforces the impression that Congress is still more comfortable promoting surnames than substance.

This raises serious concerns about how seriously the Congress is preparing for the debate, not just politically, but institutionally.

More Than Just a Debate

The BJP is likely to use the Operation Sindoor discussion to hammer home its narrative of a decisive, globally respected India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party is likely to rope in its big guns for the debate, including PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and others.

But without a speaker who can engage on facts, policy, and international norms, Congress risks looking either shrill or shallow. It’s not just a missed chance—it’s a strategic self-sabotage.

A Pattern That’s Becoming a Problem

This isn’t the first time the party has benched its best. Tharoor was sidelined during the 2022 presidential race despite running a respectable, issues-based campaign. Tewari, despite being on the Parliamentary Defence Committee, is rarely fielded during key defence discussions. And this pattern—of ignoring competence in favor of loyalty or lineage—has become institutionalized within the Congress structure.

Instead of grooming new, informed voices from the ground up, or empowering its most qualified parliamentarians, the party continues to operate within a narrow circle of trust defined by family legacy and political safety.

A Crisis of Representation, Not Just Leadership

As the Operation Sindoor debate looms, Congress finds itself once again underprepared, not due to a lack of brains, but due to its own internal politics. With the BJP sharpening its message and public sentiment often swinging toward nationalist optics, Congress’s inability to field its strongest players could cost it more than just a news cycle—it could deepen the impression that the party is no longer serious about governance or accountability. Congress’s real dilemma isn’t external. It’s internal and unresolved.