Two contradictory things have happened for the Congress in the latest round of Assembly polls. While it is a warning sign for the party, reflecting its failure to read the tea leaves in Assam or smell the coffee in Tamil Nadu, nationally, it helps the party cement itself as the sole node of any challenge to the BJP.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, reached out to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Joseph C. Vijay to congratulate him on his “spectacular” victory. “This mandate reflects the rising voice of youth, which cannot, and will not, be ignored,” he said in a post on X. The Congress is ahead by five seats in Tamil Nadu, and the TVK is short of 12 seats to reach the majority mark in the State.