Ever since election debacle, the age-old Congress party is cutting a sorry figure and now struggle to stand one in the aftermath of the drubbing it faced in the mandate. The debacle is their own making as the party could not project what they proposed to do and instead of showering abuses on PM Modi and Shah and that move boomeranged.
The party was destined to lose and instead of consolidating party’s position, the party cadre passed on the abuses on India’s successful Prime Minister like their party President and that was the beginning of the end. Now, the party cadre felt that it is important to protect the unity and integrity of the party and as the Congress President, it is his duty to ensure this. The Congress seems to be in a state of confusion and uncertainty ever since Rahul Gandhi told the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 25 that he would step down as party chief and his position was ‘non-negotiable.’
Dynastic political power is an integral part of Congress and it will have to continue. Both Moily and Prof. Sriprakash Singh have hit the nail on the head while observing that Congress President Rahul Gandhi should keep the party presidentship with himself and decide on who will lead the party ahead putting thereby the indecision looming large over the grand old party following his decision to step down to an end and also to save the party from fragmental crisis.
The veteran Congress leader’s assertions come in the backdrop of open factional fights in States like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and desertions in Telangana, and Maharashtra. When the leadership does not act, all these things will happen. The Congress president needs to quell such indiscipline with an iron hand. The only way forward is for Gandhi to continue in his post or he himself appoints an executive working president. This way, the new leader will have acceptability,
This is only excused doing round since long that only family person from Gandhi can keep unity is wrong. Kennedy family in the USA is not there. There are so many young talented in congress so using this tool will bring no results. Let him step down. The present BJP is ultra strong. It is a blessing in disguise for the party in power at present. More you oil Rahul and Sonia for the party leadership, more there is the wreckage of the ship in the Bay of Bengal. That is what needed. Common people can breathe properly and peacefully in a Congress-free India.
Rahul was vehemently criticising the move of their leaders to bring their sons of the soil to the fore. In a rare outburst, Rahul blamed the senior leaders including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, and former Union Minister P Chidambaram for putting personal interests above the party’s as their sons were contesting the Lok Sabha election.
Some are born Leaders, Some achieve Leadership and some have Leadership thrust upon them. Rahul Gandhi seems to be in the third category. He should allow Congress to grow and flourish on its own. Congress does not need only Gandhis to reign over. It can be achieved with restructuring cadre base, bringing internal democracy, listening to the grievances of marginal Karyakartas and of course reaching out to the common people. The picnic part-time politics won’t work anymore for Rahul and Priyanka. If they can’t dedicate, they should leave it to others to take over. The ivory tower approach needs to be changed. India needs a stronger opposition to run this country swiftly and efficiently and not to mention to hold the Government responsible and accountable. In all, Congress is cutting a very sorry figure.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
