It is time now for Rahul Gandhi to either deliver the goods or accept someone else as Congress’ president. But Rahul is still ignoring reality. He still insists on leading the Congress with his selected group of youth leaders, discarding those leaders who have been serving the party for decades. According to Rahul’s formula, leaders like Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh or Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath have no say in the party. The veteran leaders without questioning will have to follow the instructions of those in the party who are close to Rahul. If they revolt or refuse to carry out the instructions, the senior leaders who have given their best years to the party will be thrown out of the Congress.
Rahul Gandhi may feel comfortable in the company of his trusted lieutenants, but in a democracy the most important job of a leader is to garner the support of the electorate. In two general elections and numerous assembly elections, Rahul and his team had failed to get enough votes. The rejection by the people can be interpreted as a refusal of Rahul’s plan by the people. Almost everyone in the Congress party has accepted the truth barring Rahul Gandhi. Neither, is he showing any interest to come back as Congress president, nor is he allowing anyone to take over as the president of the party. If Rahul thinks that today or tomorrow, the party will have no other options but to succumb before his pressure politics, he is mistaken. No party can carry a non-performing leader for years. The non-performing leader has to be replaced at one time or another.
What Rahul is not realising is that the time to drop the non-performing leader has arrived; time has come to revive the party. At present, the party’s popularity is at its lowest ebb. In many states, the party has no presence at all. Its support base has been eroded either by BJP’s juggernaut or by the rise of regional parties. The party will have to go back to the grass root level if it really wants to rejuvenate its support base. To reach the people, the party needs to have clear directives and a proper agenda. But if there is no proper leadership, who will issue directives? At present, due to Rahul’s extraordinary stand, the party is devoid of proper leadership. This is why Sashi Tharur has recently commented that the Congress party is on the ventilator. Another senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has also criticised the party’s present leadership. Everyone is requesting Rahul to do the needful. But notwithstanding repeated failures, Rahul Gandhi is still interested in running the party in a corporate style.
But even in corporate sector, a failed manager is not spared. As Rahul has already failed number of times, he is answerable to Congress workers and supporters. Instead of answering their questions, if Rahul thinks that he will be able to control the Congress party through tantrums, he is sadly mistaken. Without delivering the goods, he will never be able to head the party. So, Rahul Gandhi will have to draw his future political plan cautiously. A mistake in this regard will definitely bring down the curtain on Rahul Gandhi’s political career.
