Rid the family on top and Congress’ disintegration will be faster

@the_news_21

Thiruvananthapuram: “A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” This striking phrase coined by Winston Churchill, to sum up, an altogether different European situation last century is often quoted to describe highly perplexing scenarios. Now, if it is applied to the prevailing Indian political context, no one is likely to dispute that it suits the Indian National Congress the best.

The grand speech made by Rahul Gandhi,  officially the Congress MP representing the Wayanad seat in the Lok Sabha, after the Udaipur ‘Chintan shivir’ a few months back, flickered hope to party workers across the country that his words would be matched by action. Of course, sceptics, including astute observers in the media, had then refused to be carried away by the pious wish voiced by the scion of the party’s first family.

The central promise held out by the Udaipur retreat was that organisational elections would be held in the party soon. Democratically-elected units from the bottom to the top would be the first concrete step to revitalising the party. That would bring in deserving and capable functionaries to the leadership in all tiers, right up to the decision-making body, Congress Working Committee (CWC). While sincerely wishing this to happen, no true Congress worker even remotely wanted the party to be rid of the Gandhi family.

Rahul Gandhi, who headed the party for a few years marked by repeated electoral setbacks, resigned as AICC President after his disastrous performance in the 2019 parliament elections. His mother Sonia Gandhi took over the president, knowing well that the grand old party would unravel itself if a non-family leader was brought in. At the time, this was thought to be an interim arrangement. Since then, there has been a strong feeling that Rahul Gandhi would soon return as the Congress president. He has, however, refused to make a decision.

Like Hamlet, the indecisive Prince of Denmark in the famous Shakespearean play, Rahul Gandhi has been dilly-dallying since then. Surrounded by a self-serving coterie, his indecision has accelerated the party’s drift. Several well-meaning and experienced leaders have left the party, the latest being all-weather family loyalist Ghulam Nabi Azad. Many more are likely to follow suit.

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It is hard to figure out why Rahul Gandhi is unwilling to return as AICC president. For all practical purposes, he is the most projected face in the party. He makes all key official statements. His is the official narrative, parroted by followers in right earnest. In all party campaigns, including the much touted ‘Bharat Jodo’ yatra all set to be flagged off, he is in the vanguard. Equally important, and firmly assured, is the position of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Sonia Gandhi is revered like a ‘queen mother’ by party leaders and ranks. So, what is this talk of someone from outside the family being entrusted with the Congress presidentship?

A name that was bandied about in the media in recent days as a possible AICC chief was that of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He was wise enough to decline the offer, knowing well that, despite being a past master, he enjoys little popularity outside his home state. He would have gone down as another ‘Sitaram Kesri’ in Congress’s history. Suppose Gehlot agreed to take the plunge, by now many in the party would have openly come out against the idea. 

Congress is fast losing its reputation as a party with a pan-India standing. Except in a handful of states, it is not taken as a serious contender to take on the BJP. Defeat is staring at it in the next round of assembly elections, to be held ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. If it fails to do well in the ensuing round, its tally in the next parliament could well be below some of the state-centric parties.

The moot question is why the Gandhis are unwilling to make a last-ditch effort to turn around the party under their firm and open leadership. Subterfuge will not last long in politics. Are they waiting for the BJP-led government to perform exceptionally bad in the next two years so that the Congress could strike back? Indian voters are mature enough to see through such wishful thinking. Whether one likes it or not, a Congress without a Gandhi at the top would be weaker than it is now, in the prevailing situation. It would be better for Rahul Gandhi to resume the reins of the party soon, instead of prolonging the Hamlet act, sans the philosophic disposition of the Shakespearean tragic hero.