High aspirations have high disappointments when they are not met. One should be realistic in one’s desires and aspirations. Though Rahul Gandhi is born into a political family, Politics is not his cup of tea, was proved from the electoral drubbing he has had recently. Now, he resigned to the Congress- presidentship, to fight as a loyal soldier for the party! It’s paradoxical! How could he win a battle as a soldier, which he couldn’t win as a leader? Without a member from the Nehru-Gandhi family as Head, the Congress party’s survival is bleak. For, the party leaders and cadre, lead a parasitic life on the family. Being the host (the Gandhi clan), they yearn for psychopathic loyalty from their cadre.
It’s a fact that beneath a big tree, small ones won’t grow. They remain like shrubs. Under the Congress leadership at the helm, the autonomy of President the Congress, if selected, is limited. And he/she may not be free from obstacles from the first family of the party.
Rahul Gandhi in his resignation letter lamented on several issues for not winning. Here, it’s pertinent to note that Rahul Gandhi, himself, is the cause for his downfall. Otherwise, who had prevented Rahul Gandhi from growing into a stature, in his more than a decade old political career? He cannot blame anyone but himself. These are the factors that show his missed opportunities to avail, to prove, if at all he has any mettle.
First, during the UPA- I & II, the Congress had the sway to decide everything in the government. Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of the UPA. Had Rahul Gandhi sought for a ministerial berth, be it of any ministry, he would have easily got. For example: he often goes abroad whimsically. He could have chosen ministry of External Affairs, and could have done good work to boost the image of India. He didn’t do. He shrieks responsibility. He wanted to be hands-free. Look, with no privileged background, PM Modi proved to be a hard bargainer for India in comity of nations. It shows the will-power.
Second, after the 2014 Parliament elections the Congress was reduced to 44-MPs. It became crucial for the party to revive. As scion of the Congress family, he should have taken the responsibility of becoming the Congress leader in the opposition (in Parliament) to ask tough questions on behalf of the party to the ruling . Generally, the opposition is critical of the establishment. Mr. Gandhi didn’t take up the mantle even at that point of time where his services were required.
The reason is: Rahul Gandhi has no clear vision of India and its history. He has no points on his finger tips to argue or ask pointed questions. Whereas Modi and the BJP leaders are the dyed-in-the-wool politicians. An opposition leader should be well- versed in politics. He should be a 24/7 politician. This premise could be disputed by the Congress. For, Rahul Gandhi’s father Rajiv Gandhi had never worked as the opposition leader or as an MP before becoming the PM. He assumed directly prime minister post soon after his mother Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Those days were different with no formidable political challenger. Everything came to the Congress dynasty on a silver platter.
Third, the national parties, select a catchy slogan for big elections: a phrase of two three words to attract people. The slogan needs to be touchy. For instance, sab ka saath, sab ka vikas of Modi in 2014 and garibi hatao of Indira Gandhi got a strong connect with people. Rahul Gandhi could not coin one. To the contrary, his- chowkidar chor hai- rantings backfired on him. Rahul Gandhi failed in strategizing things for the party or for himself.
He writes in his resignation letter, ‘every living cell in my body instinctively resists their (BJP’s) idea of India’. Ironically for the win in the three assembly elections (of December 2018 )in the Hindi heartland, he used ‘their’ ideology of Hindu appeal, not his ‘idea of India’. Later in general elections, he changed the tag. He captured by the Left-leaning ideas. As a leader, Rahul Gandhi has no consistency and equally no vision.
All said, the Congress dynasty is no mood to renounce the power. Priyanka remains as General Secretary of the party, her mother Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of UPA and brother Rahul would campaign in the coming state elections. He writes that he will campaign for the ‘idea of India’. That’s secularism!
Going back to history, before Independence, the Jana Sangh and Hindu Mahasabha of Savarkar were the strong political forces. They won victories in some north Indian states in electoral battles. Soon after Gandhi ji’s assassination, the Congress suppressed the ideology of ‘Hindutva’ and dubbed the term as communal. And a pejorative one. The Congress expertised in suppressing alternative ideas with an iron hand. And also, the party gradually but deliberately adopted the policy of appeasing minorities under the garb of secularism.
Eventually, the Congress was successful in distorting the secularism and making it a bad word. The BJP, on the other hand, removed cobwebs to make clear the negative historical tonal associations on Hindutva. So, it can concluded that what Rahul Gandhi wants to restore or reclaim: the idea of idea, cannot be done in the present form of- the Congress’ secularism. Re-churning and reformulation are needed if the party intends to survive.
