Not a war yet

• Do these INC leaders expressing dissent do not want Rahul back as Congress President?
• Are they feeling insecure if he makes a comeback?
• If so, why did many senior leaders pleaded with Rahul to continue when he resigned?
• Some are raising their dissenting voices. They are not dissidents as of now. It definitely has not yet become a full-blown war. 
• For declaring war, they are to become dissidents relatively strong enough to ascend the throne. They cannot form groups with inbuilt dissidents made of sand dunes. Maybe they do not want to create a sandstorm and run the risk of getting blinded or digging their own pit.
• They are making it look like Rahul being the biggest dissident who hurts the interest of many in Congress than BJP. 
• Maybe they fear that Rahul has only resigned; not fully gone out of the scene; continuing to be a potential threat to them.

It is only a group war – not young vs old

• It is obvious that there is growing disgruntlement in Congress party. Many reasons may be attributed to it, viz frustrations, fear, insecurities, organizational uncertainties, etc. 
• It is not a homogenous group but has widely varying expressions of which only a few are dissenting voices. Others may have disappointments, anxieties, concerns which may be genuine.
• Dissenting voices are using this opportunity to support, sympathize with any negative sentiments within the party, including those of dissidents directly or indirectly. It does not matter whether they are part of young or old brigades.
• They are not missing an opportunity to point out the mistakes of Congress, or Rahul to be specific, to suggest that he is incapable of choosing the right people. These reactions are not actually related to the election loss of 2019 but more about actions and inactions before and after it.
• Groupism is nothing new for Congress or any party for that matter. Many groups in almost every state always exist that fight their causes internally and also externally, 
• Congress is always more democratic and they tend to be soft and more Gandhian in their handling. But softness becomes a weakness when you do not show boldness in times of need.
• Even many old Congress leaders seem to feel that Rahul will not be able to control all the groups, satraps, dissidents in the party, to lead Congress to an electoral victory. They know how political minds work within the party and the difficulties in controlling deep interests pulling in different directions for their selfish ends.
• Rahul is incidentally a ‘Gandhian’ in Congress who speaks the truth, shows heart, and has no hatred towards anyone. Most of the Congressmen both old and young, do suspect that with such good qualities, Rahul may not be able to control the party, conquer the Indian political space against the ruthless, unscrupulous Modi/ Shah regime.

Generational switch

• Taking over the reins in Congress party as leaders in their own right is never smooth. So the generational gap which Rahul is to bridge pulling all elements together without much damage is a tough process.
• Changes are always received with negativity, skepticism, more so in Congress party. Indira faced it; Rajiv had to encounter it; Narasimha Rao and Sonia had more of it. Rahul has a lot more patience and shows deference to elders and their wishes.
• It does not mean that he will not totally break free and take bold decisions. It is that step which is awaited now. It is a historical necessity in the footsteps of Indira Gandhi. 
• Here one should remember that Rahul is the only person to throw a challenge that no one from his family will lead the Congress party and refused to even suggest an alternative.
• Rahul also slammed the veterans for “placing the interests” of their sons above the party and criticized a section of the so-called GenNext for hankering for posts. The image of Rahul portrayed as naive by the media and others including some congressmen is deceptive and perhaps deliberate.
• Congressmen should not be surprised if he takes charge to untie the ‘Gordian knot’. Then things will follow its own course with unavoidable catharsis and surgical corrections. Maybe he has given a long rope for natural corrective steps. He has abilities and moral strength, courage to take the challenge to revitalize, rejuvenate Congress.
• The electoral calculations may be unpredictable. People may go with the wind and endorse bold and right steps. Congressmen and Indians, by and large, tend to bow heads with the wind. There are not many in Congress to stand like oak. Most of them will make the right choice.
• Those with dissenting voices who choose to remain ‘tall’, will become dissidents and find their way out to the waiting arms of Shah. All these new and old escapists will constitute the ‘Grand New Party’ of Shah as he has to think of the scenario ‘after Modi’. 
• With no EM tricks (Event Management), Shah may have to rely on EVM magics and Congress converts as he knows RSS is unlikely to trust him.

Endnote

• One could sense the anxiety and fear in the minds of the supporters of Rahul/ Congress and opponents of Modi/ Shah/ BJP. Many of them do have doubts about the abilities of Rahul like many others. They should go by history. The truth and the right process adopted will win.
• Rahul’s recent videos are getting viewership in millions. Till now he has dealt with only China and also Modi to some extent. He has not yet spoken about domestic politics. He may even start addressing, conversing through digital media directly with Congressmen. 
• If those communications and interactions happen, leaders will start scrambling for space to hide or to take positions.
• The truth will always find its way to survive all ‘pandemics’ and ‘epidemics’.