More bad news for the Congress party of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh – though not necessarily in that order. Turns out the grand old party of India was blanked in bye elections held this week in four states, suggesting that the public's enthusiasm has waned for its prescription of economic growth and social welfare programs “reforms with a human face.”

Worse, soci­al activist Anna Hazare – he of the so-called fast unto death against corruption – is taking credit for a walloping given to the Congress in Hisar, Haryana, where “Team Anna” campaigned against the party, claiming it was not serious about presenting a powerful anti-corruption law.

According to the Times of India, though, even the Haryana poll wasn't a referendum on corruption, and the elections in other states were driven by local issues like the Telangana movement for splitting the state of Andhra Pradesh into two.

While [Team Anna leader Arvind] Kejriwal insisted that [the Haryana bye poll] was a referendum on the Jan Lokpal Bill, … the poll result indicates otherwise – Congress candidate Jai Parkash secured just 1,49,785 votes in comparison to 3,55,941 votes polled by Kuldeep Bishnoi and 3,49,618 votes of Ajay Singh Chautala. 

Political pundits say Jai Prakash was never in the reckoning due to a slew of factors like strong opponents, infighting in the Congress, delayed announcement of candidature, HJC-BJP alliance and polarization of Jat versus non-Jat voters during the election.

Still, the Congress can't exactly be psyched that Team Anna's Kiran Bedi – a female cop with a Judge Judy type persona – is headed to the pivotal state of Uttar Pradesh over the weekend to try to whip up anger over the Congress's go-slow attitude to Anna's ombudsman law.  Especially because Rahul is trying to revamp the Congress in UP, and facing heavy opposition from incumbent chief minister Mayawati.