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Business News/ Opinion / Online-views/  Will the Priyanka factor make Congress stronger?
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Will the Priyanka factor make Congress stronger?

The younger lot, who swear by Rahul Gandhi's leadership, feel that Priyanka Vadra is no longer the best bet for the party

Priyanka Vadra (left), the daughter of Congress Party president and chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Sonia Gandhi, interacts with her daughter Miraya and husband Robert Vadra (right) in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: AFPPremium
Priyanka Vadra (left), the daughter of Congress Party president and chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Sonia Gandhi, interacts with her daughter Miraya and husband Robert Vadra (right) in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: AFP

As expected, the Congress party took no time to deny speculation over Priyanka Vadra’s entry into active politics. Such rumours have always helped the Congress party test the waters, especially when it comes to any member of the Gandhi family taking over political tasks. There were several such speculative reports before the official entry of Sonia Gandhi into politics and prior to Rahul Gandhi donning new roles—as a party campaigner, his candidacy in 2004, general secretary in 2007 and as vice president in 2013.

Priyanka Vadra being the only one in the Gandhi family left untested as of now, these reports could be preceding any such moves, provided the reactions were on the expected lines. However, unlike in the past, there is a sharp division in the Congress over Vadra’s entry into electoral politics. While a section believes that Vadra being more extrovertish and a natural politician in her demeanour, she would be able to attract more youngsters and women to the Congress, which is in a do or die battle against the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Interestingly, the senior lot in the Congress, which has serious reservations over Rahul Gandhi’s style of functioning, think that only “Priyankaji" can make the battle even. Their reservations arise from the shake-ups he has effected within the organisation,which has caused a feeling of insecurity in the senior ranks. They believe that Priyanka is easier to deal with and will be a smarter politician by today’s standards.

However, the younger lot, who swear by Rahul’s leadership, feel that Vadra is no longer the best bet for the party. Any larger role for her, other than managing Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, is likely to invite trouble for the Congress. Any reference to Vadra could revive allegations of irregularities in land deals involving her businessman-husband Robert Vadra. Congress spokespersons will definitely have a tough time defending the Gandhi family. Any revival of the allegations has the potential to put in the shade the game-changing Land Reforms Act brought in by the United Progressive Alliance government! Besides, many young leaders are not in favour of pitching the siblings against each other.

Although often criticised for promoting dynastic rule, the Gandhi family has been the uniting force for the Congress. But many believe that the current generation has failed the Grand Old Party. Rahul, despite having the luxury of opportunities, missed many chances he got on a platter to emerge as a strong leader and capture the imagination of India’s youth. Now, charges against her husband make Priyanka vulnerable—in the current political scenario she could become a liability rather than an asset for the Congress.

The Party’s Chintan Shivir, held in Jaipur in January, identified the need for addressing the aspirations of the youth, the urge among women to be empowered and independent and also the growing restlessness among the middle class.

‘Secular’ analysts compare Narendra Modi’s emergence on the national scene with the situation that prevailed in Germany in the 1930’s. Assessing the Germany of those days, political scientist Harold Lasswell wrote: “The psychological impoverishment of the lower middle class precipitated emotional insecurities within the personalities of its members, thus fertilizing the ground for the various movements of mass protests through which the middle classes might revenge themselves,"

Rahul Gandhi’s recent speeches at public rallies have been addressed at the youth as well as women, but it may be too late. Modi seems to have clearly recognised the ambitious youth and the middle class as his support base. In his speeches, Modi is repeatedly stressing the growing emotional insecurity of India’s middle class. Rahul Gandhi keeps sending the signal that he is not yet ready or confident enough to take up the big job. No one doubts his integrity and his aides say that as a politician he is sincere to the core. But he is yet to mature as a politician as per Indian standards—he is yet to imbibe the cunningness, shrewdness and ability to measure the pulse of the people (in simple terms, aspirations of the middle class), qualities that define any successful neta.

Now the question is whether a ‘Sister Act’ will fill the gap.

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Published: 16 Oct 2013, 12:35 PM IST
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