Recently, Rahul Gandhi’s PR strategy has won accolades from mainstream media, complimenting Gandhi for singlehandedly breathing life in the otherwise irrelevant political party. As party pooper as we could be, a Twitter user by the name Pun_Starr has tweeted a breakdown of Rahul Gandhi’s PR strategy.
He states what many have already voiced that Gandhi’s new PR team seems to be building his image on the lines of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has won the hearts of the liberals by being quirky and coming across more as a human and less as a larger than life political figure. He then further brings a comparative analysis on how in past six months the strategy has been panning out.
Not so long ago, Justin Trudeau surprised a room full of journalists & scientists by nailing a short explanation of quantum computing. 2/ pic.twitter.com/KLI2QJgQne
— IRONY MAN™ (@Pun_Starr) November 2, 2017
In September, mainstream media was abuzz with rumours of Rahul Gandhi speaking on Artificial Intelligence during his US trip. Of course, while Trudeau explained quantum computing to a room full of journalists, Rahul Gandhi, whose intelligence is widely known, embarrassed India instead by batting for dynasty.
Canadian PM is into mixed martial arts, judo & boxing. He even boxed in a charity boxing match as PM. 4/ pic.twitter.com/Ghpz2FcpJm
— IRONY MAN™ (@Pun_Starr) November 2, 2017
Justin Trudeau has been portrayed as a very fit world leader, recently took to the boxing ring for charity. In a not so surprising move, Rahul Gandhi’s PR team released pictures of Rahul Gandhi, who claims to be a blackbelt in martial art form Aikido, making Aikido moves.
Feb’16, Trudeau family introduced their dog to the world. Explains, RGs Pidi video. Apparently, cute pet owners are seen good souls. 6/ pic.twitter.com/dBCAkW36Tt
— IRONY MAN™ (@Pun_Starr) November 2, 2017
As the Twitter user points out, Justin Trudeau and his family introduced their dog to the world sometime in February last year, few months after assuming office. Last week, Rahul Gandhi had everyone fawning over his dog Pidi whom he introduced through a video. Former Congress leader from Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, slayed Gandhi by reminding him how Gandhi chose to play with the same Pidi when he would reach out to him with problems Assam was facing rather than taking things seriously.
Then there are tales of random act of kindness by Trudeau regularly featuring in the Canadian and global news space.
Or this act, before he became PM, where he carried a man in a wheelchair at Montreal Metro 8/ pic.twitter.com/gQ2ElHClUN
— IRONY MAN™ (@Pun_Starr) November 2, 2017
Recently, Indian media, too, has gone out of their way to see how Rahul Gandhi also indulges in such kind deeds.
Years after Nirbhaya case, we are told that RG has been helping Jyoti Singh’s brother, even to the extent of mentoring him, & pep talking 9/ pic.twitter.com/i8FK7382sW
— IRONY MAN™ (@Pun_Starr) November 2, 2017
Jyoti Singh was brutally gang raped by as many as six men in Delhi on 16th December, 2012. The nation came together to fight crime against women in the backdrop of this brutal case. Let me remind you how the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh took over 10 days to condemn the brutal rape and murder of Jyoti. Justice Verma, former Chief Justice of India, led a committee to look at amendment of laws relating to sexual assault cases. He had asked the public at large to send across suggestions which could be incorporated in the law. Let me remind you how Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who was leading the UPA coalition, delivered her suggestions for amendments way past midnight, towards the end of period open for public suggestions. Justice Verma had also said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, who were instrumental in setting up the committee, and former home minister Sushilkumar Shinde had not interacted with him even once during the entire exercise. So pardon me if I say this exercise of Rahul Gandhi reeks of nothing short of hypocrisy.
Rahul Gandhi, who is currently campaigning in poll-bound Gujarat, today stopped his bus to meet his ‘young fan’.
On the way to the public meeting in Pardi, Valsad, Rahul Gandhi stops the bus to meet a young fan! #CongressAveChhe pic.twitter.com/D3bFRuRud8
— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) November 3, 2017
The video shared by Congress media co-ordinator shows someone from the team shouting, “bring that kid here, bring that little boy here,” and the video is posted as how Rahul Gandhi stopped the bus to meet a young fan. From the video it seems like after the bus was stopped, they were looking for a small boy who could be shown as a ‘young fan’. This, again is on the lines of Justin Trudeau’s PR strategy where Trudeau invited an 8 year old boy, who was crying as he could not be at a rally, into a media bus.
Whether or not there is a direct inspiration is something only the PR handlers can say, but similarities are rather too stark. Almost like Trump and Kejriwal.
