Ashok Bhan
On 16th, December Rahul Gandhi at 47 formally took charge as President of Indian National Congress.The success of a leader depends on “to grasp and hold a vision for the nation.”His capabilities to translate such vision into actual practise for the interest of the nation and the welfare of its people.Mahatma Gandhi picked a dollop of salt from Dandi and called for quit India.His vision of free India resonated with all for it reflected his single focussed agenda of free India.Leader’s vision serves as a guiding post to the people.A leader in whom masses place their trust has to have power to influence and lead from the front the Country through the democratic and constitutional process.
In India 65% of its population is under 35 years of age and there is a huge aspirational India.The Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul with legacy of”the tryst with destiny of pandit Nehru,the patriotism & sacrifices of Indira Gandhi, the moderniser vision of Rajiv Gandhi and political outreach skills of Sonia Gandhi has a long way to go.The political and electoral success will chase him if he leads from the front,establishes an inclusive dialogue with masses,promotes progressive narrative and creates a modern vision that resonates and connects the youth and the aspirational India.He is required to be an astute and skilful leader to develop the art of turning all the palpable failings of NDA into an opportunity.
Country expects Indian National Congress under Rahul Gandhi to undertake the unfulfilled task of building Modern India,free of intolerance,hate and discrimination.Where the fruits of development reach the poor of the poorest,harmonious coexistence becomes way of life and all citizens are equal partners in the progress.
Indian National Congress after having ruled the Country through UPA-1 & 2 for ten years lost out power to BJP by being reduced to 44 seats in Lok Sabha in 2014.The grand old party suffered a set back worst ever after 1977 elections.From 2014 onwards it has lost elections after elections in majority of the States in the Country.The last to loose is the recent Himachal Pradesh and Gujrat.The Modi juggernaut is spreading the BJP political roots as a pan India party.
Rahul Gandhi has been leading the party for quite sometime into the dust and din of mass politics.With his hard work,passion to lead from the front and skill to weave political understanding with youthful leadership and likeminded secular parties,he has emerged as the main challenger to PM Modi.-Notwithstanding the fact,that he does not have a level playing field.Modi has scores of advantages over him.-Modi is a well trained Pracharak of RSS.He has a gift of the gab.He has the experience of been a Chief Minister.He successfully dislodged all his senior potential rivals from the race.He continues to command RSS support.He is the star vote catcher for BJP. He is perceived a passionate doer.The above all big advantage and strength is that” He is Prime Minister”.
Rahul Gandhi contested the general election, 2014 from his constituency, Amethi.and led the election campaign of the Indian National Congress.Gandhi held the Amethi seat by defeating his nearest rival, BJP’s Smriti Irani, by a reduced margin of 107,000 votes.Under his leadership, the Indian National Congress suffered its worst ever performance in elections and won only 44 seats compared to 206 seats won previously in the 2009 general election.The Congress-led electoral alliance, the UPA also had its worst ever performance in elections and won only 59 seats compared to 262 seats won previously in the 2009 general election.After the defeat, Gandhi offered to resign his posts, only to be rejected.
Few instances of his political aggressive activities given a birds eye view of Rahul’s style of undertaking his journey as a challenger to NDA.February 2015, onwards Gandhi went on a leave of absence to an “undisclosed location to reflect both on recent events related to the party and its future course”.After returning from his leave of absence, Rahul Gandhi commenced his serious political journey by addressing the farmer and worker’s rally, named as Kisan Khet Mazdoor Rally in Ramlila Maidan in April 2015. he made “references to his agitations in Niyamgiri in Orissa and Bhatta-Parsaul in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh”.The rally was hugely attended by 1 lakh people. In the speech he criticised the prime minister Modi about his comment in Toronto where he said that he was “cleaning the mess created by previous Governments”.He said “Do you know how Modi won the election?.. He borrowed thousands of crores from industrialists for his several campaigns and advertisements. How will he pay them back? He will pay them back with your land. He will give your land to his industrialist friends.”
Rahul mocked the government as “suit-boot ke Sarkar” a reference to Modi’s monogrammed suit which he wore in the Republic Day meeting with Barack Obama. Moreover, he used the “acche din Government” jibe (which was Modi’s election campaign slogan meaning “good days Government”) and mentioned that it had “failed the country”.
A land bill was introduced by the BJP government in the parliament which was criticised by the opposition parties.Accusing the government of “murdering” UPA’s land bill, Rahul promised to prevent the bill from being passed, if not in the parliament then would “stop you BJP Government on streets”. He further accused the Government of diluting the bill and called it as “anti-farmer”. Rahul also drew parallel between “daylight robbery” and the bill. In May, the month of the Modi Government’s first anniversary, Gandhi commented at a rally in Kozhikode “Unfortunately, birthday celebrations is only for a few powerful friends of the government. Kisan, farmers and mazdoor have nothing to celebrate.”
Although the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to retain power in the state, its seat tally in the legislative assembly has come down by nearly 14 seats from the last assembly elections and 26 seats from its 2002 tally. Given the fact that Gujarat is the home state of PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, being prodigal sons of the soil and having used all the highs and lows in campaign and both good,bad or dirty political tricks,the fact remains BJP was brought to a two digit level and Congress has gained.Congress Party’s gain is seen by political pundits as “Rahul Gandhi”becoming “a key challenger “to the Prime Minister Narender Modi.
Congress’s performance in the state is significant because it failed to win a single seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, as the BJP swept the state winning all 26 parliamentary constituencies. Also, Gujarat is the first-ever big state where the Congress came in a direct contest with the BJP since 2014, and gave the BJP fierce fight and brought it to a photo finish levels.
The Gujarat election results were being seen as the first test for Rahul Gandhi, for whom it was only the third day as party president. The 47-year-old led the party’s campaign in the state and focused on stitching a social coalition with several smaller community leaders, including Hardik Patel who leads the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and OBC and others.
Moreover, Congress’s performance in Gujarat would boost the party’s chances ahead of key upcoming elections in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan—the states will go to polls in the next one year and will see Congress in a direct contest with the BJP. Apart from Karnataka, where the Congress is in power, BJP rules the remaining three states.
The Gujarat election results are encouraging to set the tone for Congress’s campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections under Rahul Gandhi and boost the morale of the party cadre, especially since the party has seen losses in nearly a dozen state elections since the drubbing in 2014.
(The author is a Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India, Political Analyst and Chairman Kashmir Policy & Strategy group)
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