Rahul Gandhi’s Party

Knifes are out against Rahul Gandhi. Yet again, from the non-Congressmen! True to their style and habit, the RSS ideologues are making fun of Rahul’s leadership ‘qualities’. Opponent’s character assassination and his/her devaluation through a non-political discourse are distinct ways of right-wing politics in India. Nonetheless, the questions raised on Rahul’s abilities to win the elections for his party are valid and pressing for the Congress. While everyone is crying that he needs to take some drastic measures, no one is suggesting what exactly he should do. In this context, it is important to understand in the first place what Rahul is doing. At least, what he really wants to do! If we dissect Rahul’s focus and activities over the last few years, following themes emerged out of it. First, he wants to change the Congress style of functioning thoroughly bringing into it professionalism. Second, he is passionate about reconnecting the party with dalit, minority and tribal population in the country. Third, he prefers fighting elections in alliances with anti-BJP parties. This three point formula is sufficiently potent to ensure Congress’ electoral victories only if it works in tandem.

As it is obvious now, the formula is dysfunctional at pan-India level. There could be two reasons behind it. First, Rahul Gandhi is not putting up the amount of effort required for the success of his formula. Second, the Congress leaders - from CWC to the district level - have not imbibed within them the spirit that Rahul is trying to inject in the Congress party. In practice, the failure is a combination of both the reasons. If there is a criticism that Rahul is not consistent in his efforts, he must take it in right strides. There is always a scope for doing more in politics, more so for the almost moribund Congress party. On the other hand, the Congressmen need to follow their leader by example. Why it is a case that even after Rahul Gandhi’s famous Niyamgiri climb, no Congress leader of the worth has dedicated himself to the cause in Odisha? As a Congress worker in Pune recently said, “When Rahul undertook a padayatra in Maharashtra last year, many state Congress leaders followed him; but in their SUVs.” In a nutshell, Rahul’s vision for Congress does not match with his party-men’s mission for themselves. They want him to fetch votes of underprivileged sections but do not strive to champion their cause. Hence, they celebrate his overnight stays in dalit homes in Uttar Pradesh but never do it on their own. Contrast it with Mahatma Gandhi and his followers during the freedom struggle and one realizes why that old man stand out as the master tactician of all times. Rahul’s singular failure is his inability to bring on board his party men during the struggles.  This has led to a joke in a non-BJP non-Congress sections that he would end up being a Maoist, fighting alone for the cause of the oppressed. 

A student from Hyderabad has recently written following message on facebook in response to RSS onslaught on Rahul through media, "I remember Rahul Gandhi at the University of Hyderabad how he interacted with the agitating students there after Rohith Vemula was killed. He was humble. He was submissive. Sitting at the shopcom in a day-long relay hunger strike for almost 18 hours he didn't look tired. There was a sign of some helplessness on his face. The local leaders were kept away. I didn't find him 'pappu'. Though he is brief and not 'charismatic' in his speeches, he has a sharp content in them. I haven't seen anyone in Congress other than him and Sonia Gandhi dare to attack RSS profoundly. We all can have differences with him and his party but we cannot ignore his solidarity with the students of FTII, HCU and JNU in recent times.” Rahul’s day out in Hyderabad Central University was enough for the Congress student and youth wing to hit the streets across India. Something that did not happen at all. Rahul Gandhi is not on a wrong track but his party is unable to comprehend his objective.

There are two more features of Rahul’s approach in politics, which he has inherited from his mother. First, he respects the elders in the party and does not wish to hurt them. Second, he does not interfere in the functioning of Congress state units or Congress led governments in the states. While both the points are praiseworthy, they do not help in winning elections. Like RSS micro-management of BJP in each state, Rahul Gandhi needs to develop incisiveness to ask questions and demand accountability from state leaders – irrespective of their age and experience. In this respect, he must learn from his grand-mother, late Indira Gandhi, on how she was respected and feared alike by all the Congressmen across the states. (Written on 20th May 2016)