New Delhi :The BJP has already cleansed its stables of the old guard. New linen now covers their bed of roses, and the thorns are yet to show through. However the Congress, despite its loss, is sticking to its old guns rather than adopt modern weapons. And now the young ‘uns in a show of survival unity have taken up cudgels on behalf of Rahul Gandhi against an old guard that have guardedly attacked his leadership abilities.
There have been a string of comments questioning Rahul’s abilities. And now a group of AICC secretaries have decided to write to senior office-bearers urging them to desist from public criticism and to back Rahul in implementing his ideas to transform the Congress. The letter reminds the party managers of their organizational responsibilities and a warning – that there could be a backlash, if they failed to reform their public commentary. 16 of the 42 secretaries are involved in this exercise. Party men fear imminent shame in the elections to Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir assemblies. The letters are likely to be dispatched to secretaries, CWC members and senior leaders on Thursday.
Justifying the move to protect and promote Rahul Gandhi, AICC secretary Prakash Joshi said, “Rahul wants transformation, a process-driven party with role of workers and youth in decision-making. We are firmly with him in his bid to change the Congress.”
Polarization is not the exclusive refrain of the secularists it appears, but has been adopted by age groups too in the congress party. Both groups seem to have hardened their stance. This has cast an additional shadow on Rahul’s rise to the top in the Congress.
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh last week cited Rahul’s lack of engagement as a reason behind Congress’s failure in the war of perceptions, even lamenting that a 64-year-old Narendra Modi had attracted the youth while a 44-year-old came a cropper. It followed the attack mounted by now-expelled Jagmeet Brar and leaders questioning Rahul’s political aptitude during the elections.
