The difficulties

What was the position of Rahul in 2019? Has he gained in strength, stature, acceptability and credibility? He speaks out his mind more frequently of late in measured steps. His vision, perception, path, target are very clear. He is tightening his grip over Congress and the masses.

The signals are subtle as Rahul is not rushing through the process. We are to understand the situation as it existed in Congress before 2019. Then connect the various signals to perceive the hidden logics and their connectivity to visualise developments in the right perspective.

Bringing transformations in Congress structure, practices are not so easy. There can be diverse views in a democratic party. But their uniformity in lure for power, positions than for Congress principles, culture and the political direction required, hurt its survival, revival.

Sonia had her difficulties. She was relying on senior leaders to understand and execute plans from the beginning when she made a reentry in 1998. Her intuitions were good but she respected, trusted, entrusted the senior leaders to handle assignments. That was her handicap.

Rahul had to occupy the centre stage in 2014 when the Congress army and its generals were not totally behind him. He had to handle the onslaughts from all fronts. Many of the ‘generals’ were not helping, supporting him even in 2019 with the organisational weaknesses getting exposed.

Rahul was not entirely in tune with Sonia’s approach as she had great respect and trust towards not only seniors from her party but also for Sharad Pawar and to some extent other opposition leaders. This was so even when they were downsizing Rahul.

The truth is Rahul also respects seniors to a great extent but not beyond a point. His analytical ability could discern their mindset and values. That drove him sometimes to be overly impulsive, though right in his reactions. That perhaps made him measure his steps and timing.

It is not often possible to enforce what is truth and right without considering human elements, emotions and adequately preparing the ground for it. Even Gandhiji found it difficult, not to speak of others. Rahul is preparing the ground consciously. deftly to streamline Congress.

Interpersonal relationships are not easy to maintain as people are not dispassionate while they hold their diverse views. It is definitely not so in the Congress party. Rahul would have been more open in his views within his family. But Sonia plays safe and exercises caution.

The emergence

Sonia respects past practices, negotiations to cautiously steer the Congress party. These negotiations and discussions were between senior trusted leaders as she was relying more on them for expertise, information and execution. The decisions naturally protected leaders not the party.

It is an advantage to keep its traditional practices. But these practices are to be analysed periodically or even concurrently both for their successes and failures. There is always a constant deterioration. Even for maintaining the status quo, there is a need for improvement, changes.

But continuing with past practices without appropriate evaluations will work against revival and restructuring. It may hurt some, when pragmatic, analytical decisions are evolved and implemented. So such problematic issues are avoided and the deterioration continues.

Congress organisational weaknesses started even during Indira Gandhi’s period. To some extent, she ignored it, maybe confident to tackle it later. She was not allowed to settle down. That was the case with Rajiv, Rao. Sonia had additional factors, foreigner tag, dependence etc.

Rahul is fighting against innumerable adverse forces and factors working against him and Congress, which no other Gandhi family members had to undergo. Modi regime is a rare instance of extremely unethical rulers misusing their powers. Their trolling machinery worked full steam.

Further, the leaders of both opposition parties and many within Congress were downsizing him all the while in every possible way. They did not support, defend Rahul but watched him from the sidelines, enjoying, engineering criticism against him in all types of media.

The restructuring, rejuvenation, restoration of Congress at this juncture had become an absolute must due to the accumulated debris, lack of maintenance over several decades. It is an unenviable and mammoth task to restore a ruined monument back to its shape and glory.

Rahul was left all alone to handle this. He may have discussions with some of his confidants to have inputs, information necessary to evolve solutions. But the search for solutions and thinking process has his stamp, leaning heavily on Congress principles and Gandhian influence.

It is still an unimaginably hard task. But Rahul looks confident because of the strength of his character, clarity in his thinking, perception, vision to unroll his actions, responses at the right moments with appropriate force. They are invariably missed by those with blurred eyes.

Rahul makes it appear simple; allows them to go unnoticed. He lives in the present; relies on purity and quality of the process though he waits and allows people to change; sets his eyes unwaveringly on target. Some may wonder about the existence of such a strong character in Rahul.

Let us look at some of Rahul’s assertions.

He is emerging. He is talking logic, sense, truth and what is right for the country, people and his party. No one can downsize him. He knows it. He is also aware that if and when he talks, reveals his mind more he can swing back the people, party and the country behind him.

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The assertion

Rahul is repeatedly emphasising on various platforms the need for discussions, interactions, negotiations. This is almost totally neglected, absent. It gives primacy to the merit of the issues, not individuals. This is the need of the hour and a democratic right of the people.

Most of the misunderstanding, disputes, issues are due to the absence of continuing, dynamic discussions with a focus to eliminate points of irrelevance and consolidate views, evolve solutions with consensus or majority opinion. We are not enlightening people but burning homes.

Rahul has turned the pages of Congress history, reverted to its principles and Gandhi’s call to look inwards. It is very sane and wise for all to adopt this approach, irrespective of the party, groups they belong. But those who thrive on confusions, divisions will reject them.

The problems with discussions even when they take place is that people participating do not start with an open mind that their view may be wrong. They have a closed mind or keep it half open just to search and fish out what is wrong with the opinion of others. 

Rahul advocated an open mind even within the Congress party saying discussions is the right course. He openly referred to 20 odd people having differing views. Why these Congress leaders do not come forward to sort them out instead of resorting to public warfare before the media.

It is not that Rahul is going to succumb to these blackmails. Many comments are made saying Rahul is a part-time or non-serious politician. Sharad Pawar also refers to it many times and also to the Congress ‘internal warfare’. These are more than subtle ways to downsize Rahul.

They are feeding media hurting Rahul’s image or what they see as his weaknesses while praising Modi. What a fall. This so-called part-time politician and Priyanka are doing all the legwork in Kerala, Assam, Tamilnadu. Serious politicians are taking a rest waiting for Rahul’s failure.

It is not that these serious politicians are going to make any serious impact in these states. They are no different from ‘Yogis and Bhogis’, ‘Naddas and Chaddis’. They do not make even a wrinkle in contrast to the wave generated by Rahul, Priyanka. Still, they have the guts to challenge.

Rahul and Priyanka love people; get an electrifying response from them. They are natural leaders unlike ‘wheeler-dealers’ or Chanakya’s. It is not a kingdom. It is democracy. Chankyas want to make it a kingdom; want all Chanakya neeti and treasury nidhis to perpetuate their rule.

It is no more a question of relevance. It is not even a question of Rahul’s assertion for his rightful position. It is inevitable. It has to happen. Some still underestimate Rahul and wish to believe it so, as long as possible. The other opposition parties will ignore him at their cost.

Rahul has not yet opened out fully; not talked to cadres, leaders, people more openly; more avenues, modern techniques are available for use. People are going to throng him once he enters the arena in full form. Any change has to await its time for assimilation and acceptance.