New Delhi :Not long after Oscar Fernandes, a senior party loyalist and more so, a family loyalist, made public remarks suggesting a more prominent role for Rahul Gandhi’s, older more charismatic sister Priyanka, in the congress party, Rahul Gandhi trooped into the well of the house along with his fellow congress MP’s to demand a discussion on Communal Violence in the country. Was it scripted that way or was it spontaneous? Hard to tell. He even made caustic remarks about the speaker to the media immediately thereafter, which is uncharacteristic of him. Arun Jaitley, the BJP’s finance minister suggested that Rahul might be trying hard to prevent an internal congress coup, an allegation that was quickly rebutted by Ghulam Nabi Azad of the congress, who suggested that such a coup had already taken place in the ruling BJP.
This effort on the part of Rahul, might, like his previous attempts to grab the limelight, be a one off affair, or it might be a part of a script that is yet to unfold.
Mr. Fernandes’ effort may be deemed to be official in all but name, for obviously he would not have made public comments on this sensitive subject, without Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s permission. It also goes without saying that Mrs. Gandhi would have consulted her daughter Priyanka, as well as son Rahul, before giving Mr. Fernandes the go-ahead to signal the forthcoming arrival on the scene of yet another Nehru-Gandhi scion.
Priyanka’s political adventure till now has been limited to back room advice and mentoring her mothers and brothers constituencies as they toured the country. Speculation is rife that Priyanka’s entry might diminish Rahul’s role. But this is unlikely considering that he still enjoys the full backing of his mother.
Since the Congress’ abject defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, there has been more than a little confusion within the party’s organization as well as its parliamentary party. There is a sense among many that the party gave up without a fight under Rahul’s stewardship of the campaign, though defeat may have been pre-ordained after a 10-year stint in power.
Rahul is described as strong willed by Natwar Singh a former party loyalist, but Rahul is not known for consistency in his behavior or perseverance in ideology. All his actions in his 9 year political career have been the blow hot, blow cold variety. His experiments in democratizing the Congress, have hurt the settled second-tier leaders in the states and also a handful of first-tier ones who are inured to the party’s traditional patronage-dispensing style politics. His campaigns have been lack luster, as his oration is poor and public communication, whether it is in parliament or with the media, leaves a lot to be desired in a leader.
All blame for the disastrous Lok Sabha campaign however cannot be laid at Rahul’s door. There are intraparty feuds in almost all the states that have brought the party to its knees. This is apart from poor media management and the stench of corruption surrounding the UPA’s ten year rule.
Rahul prefers the background – in the Lok Sabha and on the ground. So the Congress is looking for a new symbol and a new adhesive. Will it be Priyanka – only time will tell. She appears to be the Congress’s best bet as of now.
