India, May 30 -- I remembered Leon Trotsky when it became clear that the Indian National Congress was going to be routed in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Addressing the Mensheviks and others who were opposed to the violent seizure of power by the Bolsheviks, and were walking out of the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets at Petrograd, he had said on October 25, 1917, "Go to the place where you belong from now on - the dustbin of history!" One now needs to ask: Is the Congress headed toward the same destination? Many think it is.
Why they think so becomes clear from looking at the reasons why the Congress lost. The first reason, of course, was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal charisma and communicative skills as well as BJP chie...