Long awaited decision has been taken,Yuvraj of Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi, was coronated as the Vice President of the Grand Old Congress party during parties convention in Jaipur. Though, till now, he was the de facto number two in the party, his official elevation has brought jubilation to Congress supporters and leaders across the nation.
Soon after being officially promoted Rahul gave an extensive and emotional speech, may be longest of his all. In his speech, that has been hailed heavily by Congress leaders, he tired to connect with not only with the youth leaders and workers, but he also moved senior leader, who broke in to tears, by invoking his father Rajiv Gandhi and grand mother Indira Gandhi during his speech.
He also commented on shortcomings of the party, the futile process of ticket distribution during elections and on centralisation of power in the party. Moreover, he offered to bring a change in the system and insisted on the need to accommodate the voices of people in it and to ensure participation of aam admi in decision making process.
Now the question is, how much of this he will be able to deliver?
By elevating Rahul, party president Sonia Gandhi has actually made him de facto number one whom she will be patronising in his endeavours. However, going by his his track record, nothing that he has done makes him eligible for one of the top posts. It is just the result of dynastic politics that has been practiced in the party since independence. First Rajiv Gandhi had to join politics despite his unwillingness, and now Rahul Ganhi is burdened with responsibilities he has been trying to avoid till now.
Rahul talked about the need of democracy in the party, but the truth is his party never practiced democracy ever. In 1985 his father Rajiv Gandhi criticised the then political and administrative system and said that Congress party had shrunk from a party of a masses to a party that had lost touch with people and was being controlled by “power brokers” and “self-perpetuating cliques.”
Even after 28 years after this speech the situation has not changed.The party has completely lost touch with masses, something of that sort was also mentioned by Sonia Gandhi during her speech. Prices of essential commodities are soaring and the Congress seems to be much worried about the losses the Oil Marketing companies are facing than the problem of rising inflation and woe of common man.
Rahul Gandhi has been promoted at a time when the party's credibility is all time low. And he has an onerous task of leading the party from front in Lok Sabha elections just one and half year away. Under these circumstance it will be futile to expect much from Gandhi scion.
Under his leadership party faltered badly in Uttar Pradesh assembly. Though he claims to be a youth leader he has not been able to deliver on the expectations of youth, who recently came on the streets demanding justice for gangrape victim. While Rahul preferred to remain in his fortress instead of coming out and hearing them out, activist turned politician Arvind Kejriwal professed qualities of a youth leader by coming out and standing side by side with protestors when no political party dared to come out.
Though a senior Congress leader termed Rahul's elevation as India's Obama moment, nothing in his track record makes hm even 10th percent of Obama. Moreover, if BJP bring Narendra Modi as an answer to Rahul Gandhi, the challenge will even be bigger for him, thanks to rising popularity of Narendra Modi.
As the time for deliverables is yet to come, Rahul has enough time to enjoy the honeymoon period as partiy's vice president and gather energy for for bigger battles. But after this period is over he will be required profess extraordinary leadership and prove his mantle as real leader.
No comments:
Post a Comment