A hard task ahead for Rahul Gandhi

Hari Jaisingh

Should we expect the emergence of a new face of the Congress after its 84th plenary session in New Delhi? I prefer to keep my fingers crossed, even though the party has sent out a clear signal of change – the change of a generational shift at the top to mark Rahul Gandhi taking over the reins of power. Even the theme of the plenary was "Waqt badlav ka" (it is time of change).
The change, per se, demands new policies and strategies in tune with changing ground realities and expectations of the new generation of the electorate. Equally critical is the change of mindset and style of functioning which has reduced the grand old party, both electorally and public perception, now virtually just a regional force confined to four states. Thus, for the new Congress President, this will be a tall order which cannot be met by rhetoric and pursuing the politics of negativism.
True, the country's overall political setting today looks quite receptive to yet another change after four years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's somewhat belowexpectation performance. Still, we cannot write off the BJP-led NDA establishment's possible return to power in 2019.

Narendra Modi is a Master Magician. Though his credibility has suffered, his popularity graph still runs high. A lot will now depend on whether the Modi-Amit Shah leadership is able to draw the right lessons from the setback it has suffered by losing 10 parliamentary seats in recent by-elections in their stronghold states of UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. However, this is what has infused a new lease of life among the opposition parties, the Congress included.
Sonia Gandhi, who stepped down as the Congress President in December last year, has struck a note of optimism. She has set a new tone for the party. Realising that the Congress has still a long way to go for its revival, she has talked about "pragmatic approach for cooperation with all like-minded parties" and "a common workable programme" against the BJP in the 2019 elections. Even young Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has indicated that the party would evolve itself as "a mix of young blood and elders". He said that "my task is to unite the seniors and the youth and give the party a new direction". Going by the party's track record, it is easier said than done.
The Congress, over the years, has been a personality-oriented party. It has invariably drawn its strength from the dynasty – the dynasty of Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Today it is no longer an all-inclusive umbrella because of its shrinking support base following a virtual eclipse of its old-world Sewa Dal spirit. The Sewa Dal as an institution of voluntary cadre is no longer a force to reckon with. Besides, the party

Sonia Gandhi, who stepped down as the Congress President in December last year, has struck a note of optimism. She has set a new tone for the party. Realising that the Congress has still a long way to go for its revival, she has talked about "pragmatic approach for cooperation with all like-minded parties" and "a common workable programme" against the BJP in the 2019 elections.

has paid a heavy price for pursuing opportunistic policies and misplaced strategies to the advantage of the saffron party. Small wonder, Sonia Gandhi now grumbles about the BJP calling the Congress a Muslim party. Her son is now trying to erase that impression by his temple yatra during election campaigns.
The main challenge in the evolution of the right kind of leadership in the Congress has been the personalized factor and not as "an institution" working on democratic principles, both in the example it sets and the model it creates for the rest.
Take the case of the latest plenary session of the party. As in the past, it has authorized Rahul Gandhi to fill all the top slots for various panels to the President.
Why could they not be elected democratically? Rahul Gandhi, after all, lacks the standing of Nehru and Indira. Even otherwise, internal democracy within the party functioning cannot be established unless it discards personalized factors which gave rise to sycophancy culture, which was once identified by Rahul Gandhi as one of the reasons for the Congress decline.
The personalized political culture has actually brought to the forefront a set of leaders who thrived on personal loyalty and sycophancy. Loyalty before merit guided the working of Indira Gandhi. No wonder, there was a mushroom growth of leaders at different levels, who got themselves established by swearing loyalty to Indira Gandhi.
This vitiated the political atmosphere and gave rise to second and third rate leaders, apart from driving away those who were really competent and honest. Not that there is a dearth of talented young leaders in the party.
But they have to be given a pride of place within the Congress panels. Herein lies the challenge for Rahul

Rahul Gandhi took to the path of negativism and launched his sharpest personalized attack on Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Shah. He said Narendra Modi's name has come to symbolize the "collusion between India's biggest businessmen and the PM. He also called Shah as a "murder accused."

In the 2019 poll battle, the Congress cannot win on its own. It has to firm up ties with like-minded parties with a common minimum programme. It will not be the battle of truth v lies or "Pandavas" v. "Kauravas". No party in the country today is clean and transparent.

Gandhi. If he means business, he has to create a climate of trust, provide the party the old idealistic fervour, strengthen its organization base at the grassroots with a freshness of approach and drive. He needs to remember that myopic strategies and a negative brand of politics would only make a mockery of all idealism.
In contrast to his mother's principled speech at the plenary, Rahul Gandhi took to the path of negativism and launched his sharpest personalized attack on Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. He said Narendra Modi's name has come to symbolize the "collusion between India's biggest businessmen and the PM. He also called Amit Shah as a "murder accused", indicating it would be a no-holds barred faceoff in the election year. I doubt if this is the right strategy for the new Congress chief. He has to be positive before the party his concrete plan of action, especially spelling out how he proposes to rebuild the party from the ground upwards democratically. He should also work out new strategies and the direction in which he would take the party forward in today's complex and multi-dimensional politics vis-à-vis BJP.
It is clear that in the 2019 poll battle, the Congress cannot win on its own. It has to firm up ties with like-minded parties with a common minimum programme. So, 2019 will not be the battle of truth v lies or "Pandavas" v. "Kauravas". No party in the country today is clean and transparent.
As it is, populism has become a curse in a developing democratic polity like ours. And competitive populist postures have only created false hopes, diverting the country's attention away from harsh realities and hard options to put the country on the right tract of development from the grassroots upwards.
Here we must appreciate that slogans cannot be a substitute for action.
If Rahul Gandhi means business, he has to strike different notes in tune with the young generation's new hopes and aspirations. Indeed, India's socio-economic scene calls for new responses and demands positive thinking and constructive action, away from the politics of violence and intolerance. Equally vital is the tasks of reconciliation and mutual understanding. Finally, we ought to turn India into a land of opportunity with a system of transparency and accountability.
Will Rahul Gandhi prove to be different from Narendra Modi? It is up to him to prove himself as a new breed of 21st century forwardlooking leader. Well, he has a long way to go.



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The change, per se, demands new policies and strategies in tune with changing ground realities and expectations of the new generation of the electorate. Equally critical is the change of mindset and style of functioning which has reduced the grand old party, both electorally and public perception, now virtually just a regional force confined to four states. Thus, for the new Congress President, this will be a tall order which cannot be met by rhetoric and pursuing the politics of negativism. True, the country's overall political setting today looks quite receptive to yet another change after four years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's somewhat belowexpectation performance. Still, we cannot write off the BJP-led NDA establishment's possible return to power in 2019. Narendra Modi is a Master Magician. Though his credibility has suffered, his popularity graph still runs high. A lot will now depend on whether the Modi-Amit Shah leadership is able to draw the right lessons from the setback it has suffered by losing 10 parliamentary seats in recent by-elections in their stronghold states of UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. However, this is what has infused a new lease of life among the opposition parties, the Congress included. Sonia Gandhi, who stepped down as the Congress President in December last year, has struck a note of optimism. She has set a new tone for the party. Realising that the Congress has still a long way to go for its revival, she has talked about "pragmatic approach for cooperation with all like-minded parties" and "a common workable programme" against the BJP in the 2019 elections. Even young Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has indicated that the party would evolve itself as "a mix of young blood and elders". He said that "my task is to unite the seniors and the youth and give the party a new direction". Going by the party's track record, it is easier said than done. The Congress, over the years, has been a personality-oriented party. It has invariably drawn its strength from the dynasty – the dynasty of Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Today it is no longer an all-inclusive umbrella because of its shrinking support base following a virtual eclipse of its old-world Sewa Dal spirit. The Sewa Dal as an institution of voluntary cadre is no longer a force to reckon with. Besides, the party Sonia Gandhi, who stepped down as the Congress President in December last year, has struck a note of optimism. She has set a new tone for the party. Realising that the Congress has still a long way to go for its revival, she has talked about "pragmatic approach for cooperation with all like-minded parties" and "a common workable programme" against the BJP in the 2019 elections. has paid a heavy price for pursuing opportunistic policies and misplaced strategies to the advantage of the saffron party. Small wonder, Sonia Gandhi now grumbles about the BJP calling the Congress a Muslim party. Her son is now trying to erase that impression by his temple yatra during election campaigns. The main challenge in the evolution of the right kind of leadership in the Congress has been the personalized factor and not as "an institution" working on democratic principles, both in the example it sets and the model it creates for the rest. Take the case of the latest plenary session of the party. As in the past, it has authorized Rahul Gandhi to fill all the top slots for various panels to the President. Why could they not be elected democratically? Rahul Gandhi, after all, lacks the standing of Nehru and Indira. Even otherwise, internal democracy within the party functioning cannot be established unless it discards personalized factors which gave rise to sycophancy culture, which was once identified by Rahul Gandhi as one of the reasons for the Congress decline. The personalized political culture has actually brought to the forefront a set of leaders who thrived on personal loyalty and sycophancy. Loyalty before merit guided the working of Indira Gandhi. No wonder, there was a mushroom growth of leaders at different levels, who got themselves established by swearing loyalty to Indira Gandhi. This vitiated the political atmosphere and gave rise to second and third rate leaders, apart from driving away those who were really competent and honest. Not that there is a dearth of talented young leaders in the party. But they have to be given a pride of place within the Congress panels. Herein lies the challenge for Rahul Rahul Gandhi took to the path of negativism and launched his sharpest personalized attack on Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Shah. He said Narendra Modi's name has come to symbolize the "collusion between India's biggest businessmen and the PM. He also called Shah as a "murder accused." In the 2019 poll battle, the Congress cannot win on its own. It has to firm up ties with like-minded parties with a common minimum programme. It will not be the battle of truth v lies or "Pandavas" v. "Kauravas". No party in the country today is clean and transparent. Gandhi. If he means business, he has to create a climate of trust, provide the party the old idealistic fervour, strengthen its organization base at the grassroots with a freshness of approach and drive. He needs to remember that myopic strategies and a negative brand of politics would only make a mockery of all idealism. In contrast to his mother's principled speech at the plenary, Rahul Gandhi took to the path of negativism and launched his sharpest personalized attack on Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. He said Narendra Modi's name has come to symbolize the "collusion between India's biggest businessmen and the PM. He also called Amit Shah as a "murder accused", indicating it would be a no-holds barred faceoff in the election year. I doubt if this is the right strategy for the new Congress chief. He has to be positive before the party his concrete plan of action, especially spelling out how he proposes to rebuild the party from the ground upwards democratically. He should also work out new strategies and the direction in which he would take the party forward in today's complex and multi-dimensional politics vis-à-vis BJP. It is clear that in the 2019 poll battle, the Congress cannot win on its own. It has to firm up ties with like-minded parties with a common minimum programme. So, 2019 will not be the battle of truth v lies or "Pandavas" v. "Kauravas". No party in the country today is clean and transparent. As it is, populism has become a curse in a developing democratic polity like ours. And competitive populist postures have only created false hopes, diverting the country's attention away from harsh realities and hard options to put the country on the right tract of development from the grassroots upwards. Here we must appreciate that slogans cannot be a substitute for action. If Rahul Gandhi means business, he has to strike different notes in tune with the young generation's new hopes and aspirations. Indeed, India's socio-economic scene calls for new responses and demands positive thinking and constructive action, away from the politics of violence and intolerance. Equally vital is the tasks of reconciliation and mutual understanding. Finally, we ought to turn India into a land of opportunity with a system of transparency and accountability. Will Rahul Gandhi prove to be different from Narendra Modi? It is up to him to prove himself as a new breed of 21st century forwardlooking leader. Well, he has a long way to go.