Congress’s dynastic purge…is it possible!

Is it at all possible for Congress to make itself battle ready for 2024! Will it get dynasty free and bounce back!

As another leader of Congress Gulam Nabi Azad resigns from the party, the Congress might be staring at more such exits, if the big question of a strong  leadership and reformed Congress is not addressed. In a scathing letter to the party President Sonia Gandhi, Azad puts up many reasons for why he is resigning. Many others, both young and old leaders who have left the party till yet have been holding their share of grudges, the common ones being that they have been ignored, that their stature and experience has not been respected meaning that they have been sidelined in the new structure brought in by Rahul Gandhi since he became the party President. Among other reasons were that Rahul was a non serious leader, that he was being guided by sycophants and his ‘Guards & PA’s’. That the consultative mechanism in the party has finished and that RG had no regard even for his own party PM ( ref to the ordinance torn by RG at a meeting in 2013). It can’t be discredited though that having taken the onus of failing to render successes in elections after elections Rahul Gandhi as President has thereby forced elections to choose a non Gandhi leader, is a decision that may augur well for Congress. The ones who have sought greener pastures like Priyanka Chaturvedi, Sanjay Jha, Jyotiraditya Sindhya, Tom Vadakkan, Kapil Sibal, RPN Singh, Jitin Prasad to name a few would be interested to see the ship take control.  

On Azad’s quitting, the party condemned the grudge as false and the timing questionable (just before the Bharat Jodo Yatra). Considering the fact that the Gandhi’s approach on any of their leaders quitting as ‘let them go’ sends a signal veering towards hubris, they have not been able to hold their stock firmly with some of them waiting in the wings to leave, is no secret. When the grand old party is in disarray, left with barely 2 states in hand, loosing election on election, is finding hard to hold internal reinvention, how does it plan to give a fight in 2024, not too far.

Not recognizing the revolt within when the group of 23 wrote about introspection and internal churning, is a sign of decay itself. Its as important to look within and evolve as it is to keep the organizational structure strong to be a robust opposition in democracies. Ask any layman and pat comes the answer, who will counter Modi when we don’t even have an opposition. A more than hundred year old party, Congress is the only national party, however down it may be, who can provide a viable opposition but for its leadership that is visionless, reluctant, matchless and don’t hold people’s trust. The regional parties too have stopped taking them seriously.

What is also true is that in these times when fear is spread everywhere and other voices do not hold weight, RG is the only leader who speaks against the monarch. Unfortunately but that’s not making the seriousness translate into confidence for the people of the country. The fact remains that like his father he is a reluctant politician, politics been thrust on him. Rajiv but learnt and grew up into a charismatic leader until he was killed in a LTTE suicide bomb attack, Rahul is just not interested even though he seems to be trying to be learning supported by the blue blood confidence juxtaposed with that of someone risen from the grassroot.  And Modi is surely betting on him.     

After 21 years as the election to Congress party President is set to take place it is a good sign. This being one of the demands of the G23, the process we hope will be fair and free of favoritism. As for sycophancy, which party or organization is free of the malice. Don’t BJP leaders indulge in the same around the top bosses. Ministers and party workers sing peons of the PM everytime and always attributing every work to him and his blessings. So for TMC, JDU, RLD, DMK and all.

Irrespective of CWC and President elections announced, senior leadership of Congress fear a puppet President at the helm. It will be firstly interesting to see who all file nominations for the top post. And secondly who emerges out as the winner. Congress has no dearth of good leaders capable of leading the party. Factionalism is the scourge. But what is for sure is that the Gandhi’s would not want to loose the grip on the party, naturally, and so someone pliable will be the best choice and Gehlot fits in the bill best along with his credentials of having been 3 times CM, been 50 years with the party and a leader with organizational, administrative and trouble shooting skills. It will be a La MMS. Most likely Gehlot seems to be the choice at the national level with the choice between Mallikarjun Kharge, Meira Kumar, Mukul Wasnik or Ambika Soni. As for Rajasthan Sachin Pilot, a CM in waiting, for long, may be obliged by the Gandhis’. So far sounds fair for the young turk who has swallowed a lot of humiliation at the hands of CM Gehlot. Shashi Tharoor, another stalwart, has come upfront to declare his intention of contesting for the post. The party needs people of calibre and grit for independent decision making to be a counter to the brutal majority of the ruling dispensation.

The elections that were to be held in September, after the one seen in 2001 between Jitendra Prasad and Sonia Gandhi for the post of Congress Chief, having been shifted to October because of the indisposition of Sonia Gandhi, are a ray of hope of a unanimous and a non Gandhi choice, something that has split the party into two groups.

Notwithstanding the election process Congress will now need a thunderous rejuvenation to fight its opponent at the centre and only for a very dynamic leadership, a massive overhaul and party reorganization will it be possible. With 2024 as the proverbial ‘fish’s eye’ these internal elections will be the starting point again. 

Only a strong opposition can give a healthy fight. It is the fundamental need of the hour. Or else we may be heading towards a one party rule.    

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