Rahul Gandhi’s toughness on test

Nehrus are destined to be Congress President. It is now the turn of the sixth Nehru-Gandhi member, Rahul Gandhi, to take over the reins of the grand, old party. The transition in all probability will be smooth and the stage is thus set for the Rahul era to begin in the Indian National Congress (INC).

Arguably Rahul is the most unfortunate Nehru-Gandhi to ascend to the Congress throne. The first two members of the family, Motilal and Jawaharlal, were first elected during pre-independence days (Nehru even after becoming the Prime Minister). It was the golden period of the party when almost every Indian swore by the Congress.

Rahul’s grandmother Indira Gandhi took over the mantle first when her father, Jawaharlal Nehru was still around. Later, she took over the party after being nominated the Prime Minister. When she faced roadblocks from the Congress old guard, she split the party and proved herself a far more accomplished and acceptable leader than others.

Rahul’s father Rajiv took charge as Congress president amidst a sympathy wave that overwhelmed the country following his mother’s brutal assassination. His mother Sonia Gandhi was forced to take over the reins in relatively difficult times when Congress was out of power. But then it was still the largest pan-Indian party.

They were all lucky. They helmed the Congress when India hardly trusted any opposition group barring short interregnums. But Rahul Gandhi is taking over the charge when Congress looks a tired and fatigued 133-year old party. It seems out of the sync with the 21st century Indian social reality. Its ideology of a broadly liberal India is at its lowest ebb. Its twin ideological pillars of socialism and secularism are among the most ridiculed in today’s political discourse in India.

The 21st century is emerging as the ‘Rightist century’ in which a centrist or a left-of-centre Congress fails to evoke much mass appeal. It is the era of rightist nationalists. These are times tailor made for leaders like Narendra Modi, Donald Trump and Brexit, when cosmopolitanism is mocked and global politics is riding the wave of hatred following Artificial Intelligence and Robotics making several jobs redundant and youth jobless. This is therefore the age when hate against the invisible “other” is on the rise.

Such are the difficult times when Rahul Gandhi is taking over the leadership of the party. Media manipulators have dented his image in public imagination. Modi, conscious of the threat that Rahul still poses, works overtime to run down Rahul.

Public perception apart, the Congress Party is at the worst possible shape. Its shine as the party of independence has waned after 70 years. Its heritage of transforming a poverty- stricken India into one of the most important economies of the world, matters little for the new generation that is impatient to transform lives overnight. The Congress has not just lost all major elections in states but has shrunk to 44 seats in the Lok Sabha. As far as the party organisation is concerned, it is widely held to be a bit of a joke. Besides, the party old guard looks at the transition with barely concealed suspicion.

Rahul Gandhi therefore has his task cut out. He is expected to revive the fortunes of the Congress, ensure electoral victories and put India back on track to its founding fathers’ dream of a liberal and modern country. Can 47-year-old Rahul pull off a miracle that is expected of him? .

There are good reasons for scepticism. His stint in politics between 2004 and 2017 has been far from sparkling. He failed to convince the intelligentsia and the masses that he could be trusted to deliver. Media was harsh on him. People went to his public rallies but returned unconvinced to vote for his party in big numbers. His own party doubted him. He may have a long way to go before he earns their trust.

But by no means is the Rahul Gandhi story over. The RahulGandhi story is actually beginning now. India has seen a new Rahul Gandhi in the past few months since his visit to the United States. He is coming across as cool, confident and not combative. He takes uncomfortable questions

with more composure. He has not shied from spelling out his vision for India. If his father brought a computer revolution in India, Rahul wants to tap Indian soft power to its peak. Rahul is convinced that Indian service sector economy alone cannot take India to global heights. He wants Indian manufacturing to compete with China.

The icing on the cake is his star performance in the on-going Gujarat election campaign. He is leading Gujarat Congress into a battle where the party appears confident of improving its performance vastly, if not win the election as is being predicted by many.

Gujarat is a litmus test for him. If he manages to do the unthinkable and lead Congress to victory in Pm Modi’s home turf, liberal India will rally round him, other opposition parties will take him more seriously and even his own partymen will look up to him with more respect.

India needs a young face with a modern vision to lead it into the 21st century. Each of the Nehru-Gandhis led India into the modern world with his or her own vision. Rahul is young and has a vision for the Congress and the country. Both need him now more than ever.

India never wished to be a Hindu Pakistan. Rahul is the lone hope of getting out of the developing morass that is making it look like another Pakistan in the making. Over to Rahul Gandhi.