The realm of teleserials seems to have crept into the Indian political scenery, especially within the Congress party. The drama not only continues to be perpetual but with time, it also becomes predictable.
The current story of Rahul Gandhi and his party seems to be following the screenplay of a daily soap. The drama is long and the story seems to be moving on the predictable lines.
Rahul Gandhi lost the ‘family seat’ of Amethi to BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019 elections. After the humilating loss he returned to his constituency for the first time since his defeat. In Amethi, he addressed Congress party workers. The former Congress President did what he does the best – abdicating his responsibility of being a ‘leader’.
Rahul Gandhi in Amethi
“Narendra Modi is Prime Minister, Yogi ji is Chief Minister and Smriti Irani is the Member of Parliament from BJP. We have to do the work of opposition now, it is the most enjoyable, it is easy,” he said.
#WATCH Rahul Gandhi, Congress in Amethi: Narendra Modi is Prime Minister, Yogi ji is Chief Minister & Member of Parliament is from BJP (Smriti Irani). We have to do the work of opposition now, it is the most enjoyable, it is easy. (10.7.19) pic.twitter.com/Gg6zFQr4hE
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 11, 2019
Through these words, Rahul Gandhi signalled his intentions of being an opposition leader perpetually rather than taking up the mantle of leadership. This comes at a time when the party is sliding into irrelevance. At a time when the party is battling for existence, it needs strong leadership to stabilise the party from its downward spiral. However, Rahul Gandhi, does not appear in the mood to be a ‘leader’ of the party to inspire his cadre. His stand-offish and casual attitude doesn’t help the party either.
With Rahul Gandhi making his intentions clear in Amethi stating that he finds joy in being in opposition party as it easy, it is nothing but gloomy for the Congress party. Since the early 2000s, the structure of the Congress party has been in a way that without the Gandhi-Nehru parivar at the helm of the affairs, it is bound to reach a state of anarchy.
Crisis in Congress
Right now, if reports are to be believed, Congress has started a franatical search for the party president. The party has asked its leaders to send in suggestions for the top post. However, they are reluctant to do so since they are afraid what if they do not make it. The infightings within the party has reached new heights.
Some Congress leaders even believe that Sonia should become the interim President since they feel only the Nehru-Gandhi family can keep the party together.
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership tried its best to blame several factors for its loss. They were also successful in finding a scapegoat for Rahul Gandhi’s incompetence in the form of Praveen Chakravarty, Congress’ Data Analytics Department’s head. The Congress party believes that it was the wrong data provided by Chakravarty that led the party to a defeat in the 2019 elections. Editorials were written that Rahul Gandhi’s fault was only that he put his trust in wrong person.
Amidst all this, the defeatist attitude of being excited at being in the opposition should be a cause of worry for those who still believe in Congress.
