In a TV interview, Nath singled out UPA's rights-based entitlement schemes for hurting the party, saying Congress did not realize India had become "aspirational" and was looking for things like material gains. He said the party's policies and approach were a few years behind the times.
The argument may, in part, explain why Congress was rejected by all classes despite giving pro-poor schemes as a "right" and making them the main campaign plank, contrary to the "no dole" pitch of rival Narendra Modi.
Kamal Nath said "rights", like on food, work and land, did not enthuse people who saw it with a sense of entitlement and felt the government had to give them anyway. While the beneficiary section did not feel indebted to the government, there was a big middle-class which turned against the Congress for these "doles", he said.