Anil Anand
Given the total mismanagement in the Congress and given the fact that the over a century old party is passing through, the self-inflicted, worst ever leadership crisis Jyotiraditya Scindia severing his links and heading towards the saffron fold has hit the party like a thunderbolt. Not that he is a mass leader of sorts but definitely a brand by himself based on his erstwhile royal lineage, and not that it was not expected nevertheless it has left Congress badly bruised.
His quitting or expulsion what the Congress leadership wants the people to believe has left bare the deep ruptures and divisions which the party has been suffering for quite some time but doing little to bridge the gap. What does this reflect? Is it the culmination or yet another beginning of old versus younger generation fight that the Congress has been beset with?
Most definitely this is another manifestation of this fight which is becoming intense by the day and threatening the very existence of the party. A thoroughly manipulative old guard refusing to budge and a restive younger line-up of leadership represented by AICC general secretary, Mr Rahul Gandhi and his brigade of which Mr Scindia was a front-ranking member and supposedly a top adviser of former, and a strangely indifferent Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her bunch of advisors, provide an ideal situation for the Scindia like episodes to happen and rock the party.
The net outcome is that the Gandhi family more so Mrs Gandhi are finding themselves sandwiched and entrapped in this generational fight. None else but they themselves are to be blamed for bringing the situation to this pass which has happened for want of timely and decisive actions.
The million dollar question is why Mrs Gandhi who seem to have utmost faith in the old guard while showing little or no trust in the younger set of leaders- which is being widely perceived both inside and outside the Congress- has been gripped by stoicism and in turn become more reliant on status quo ante. She for strange reasons is refusing to act to stem the rot in the party and the resultant younger generation leaders such as Mr Scindia being pushed to the wall and for equally strange she has reportedly refused to give a free hand to Mr Gandhi when he was the president to at least build a team of his choice. Is there something serious which the old guard has down its sleeve? It will be difficult to fathom. Even if it so the old guard more than anyone else should realise that the current situation would not help and in fact harm their interests, in the twilight of their political careers, than others.
His resignation or expulsion from Congress has shown the high command (read Mrs Gandhi) in a dim light. Mrs Gandhi and the Gandhi family per se have got themselves trapped in the generational fight that has almost ravaged the party for no fault of anyone else. Failure to establish a critical balance between the old and the young, a reticent Mr Rahul Gandhi timidly leaves the ground and an obdurate mother in Mrs Gandhi refusing to look for options other than her family, has brought the party to the current pass. There has been a far cry for quick and tough decisions in the party but perhaps the decision makers in the party are refusing to read the writing on the wall at their own peril.
Sooner they act better it would be for Congress which with its pan-India presence has a significant role to play as a premier opposition party. Further weakening of the party with no zest being shown to retain prominent leaders like Mr Scindia, will have an overall impact and in turn leave the opposition camp more weakened and becoming incapacitated to take on the mighty BJP and the Narendra Modi-led Government. Such a scenario is certainly not in the best interest of the country and the Congress’ top leadership should realise this and act steadfastly.
Coming back to the Scindia episode, it will have more dangerous portents for the Congress than a mere leader quitting the party. Since he was one of the prominent faces of the younger brigade of leaders in the Congress, his revolt has the potential to instigate other leaders of ilk such Rajasthan deputy chief minister, Sachin Pilot, Maharashtra’s Milind Deora, Jitin Prasada in Uttar Pradesh, Kuldeep Bishnoi of Haryana etc to follow a similar course that would deal a further blow to any attempt at grooming and bringing to the forefront new generation of leaders.
Mrs Gandhi and the old guard in particular should realise that there is someone waiting to pounce and take benefit of the situation. Rather than playing in the hands of the BJP and its top leadership ( Modi and Amit Shah), they should look inwards and act.
The second fallout of Scindia episode, if allowed to perpetuate, would be on the stability and future of Congress-led or Congress participated governments in other states. The prophets of doom have already started counting their marbles and on their target would be dispensations in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
What is more alarming is the fact that despite Mrs Gandhi throwing her total weight behind the old guard, she is not receiving the required support from them either. With a totally indifferent old guard, despite enjoying patronage of the party president, she has been increasingly finding herself isolated. The isolation is bound to further increase with younger set of leaders becoming more disenchanted and forced to look for green pastures outside Congress.
The fact of the matter is that the olden leaders have been unfair to her and she in turn has been doing the same to the younger leaders. She trusted the old colleagues to the fullest and even rewarded them with posts and positions, they in turn refused to back her in endeavours to rebuild the organisation and make it battle ready.
It is high time that the leadership issue is resolved and process to rebuild the organisation is started forthwith. If the resolution of leadership entails looking beyond the first family of the Congress, by all means it should be done. Or else be prepared for more Scindia like episodes as there are already murmurs that some of the younger leaders have already started moving in the same direction.
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