By Sushil Kutty
It is the same old story. The boringly repetitive drama of Congress leaders imploring Rahul Gandhi to take on a plum post – this time that of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The two sides never tire of the game. On one side, Congress leaders and on the other side, the Gandhi scion. The last time Rahul Gandhi played hard to get was for the Congress President’s post, which finally went to Mallikarjun Kharge.
On Saturday, the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution requesting Rahul Gandhi to take up the post. “Rahulji is the best person to lead this campaign inside the Parliament,” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said. But has Rahul Gandhi said ‘yes’ to the “request”? No, all that the Congress general secretary admitted was “he would take a decision very soon.” Another CWC member said Rahul Gandhi was the best person for LoP because “he is fearless and courageous”.
Rahul Gandhi in his latest avatar is being congratulated for winning the Congress 99 Lok Sabha seats, up from 52 in 2019. Congress leaders are now falling over each other to foist Rahul Gandhi on the INDI-Alliance parties as the LoP. But like every time, whenever the Congress wanted Rahul Gandhi to take on a responsible role, Rahul Gandhi would play possum, reluctant to step forward and accept responsibility.
Something always holds back this Gandhi and his critics have time and again jumped on this aspect of his character to cast doubts on his confidence in himself. The last Congress LoP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury lost from Berhampore in West Bengal. It is no quirk of fate that Rahul Gandhi happens to be ready to take his place.
It is just a matter of convincing Rahul Gandhi that he’s better than Prime Minister Narendra Modi in every which manner. Not that Rahul Gandhi needs convincing that he is the better man vis a vis Modi. Rahul Gandhi also has more parliament experience compared to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Besides, after Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s election defeat, there is a vacancy. And like Stalin’s KGB Chief said, “Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.” Also, the LoP is equivalent to a cabinet rank, joint-second to the Speaker of the House. Most importantly, the 54-year-old wouldn’t need to walk across and give Prime Minister Narendra Modi a hug once he is LoP in the Lok Sabha. The only time he did it, he had to do it with a wink.
hi Wink’ spawned a 1000 memes and is worthy of a patent. Positioned next to grave busts of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’s wink will launch a 1000 Congress MPs in the Lok Sabhas yet to come. So, the clamour to see Rahul Gandhi as LoP Lok Sabha isn’t for nothing. Rahul’s Congress colleagues wanted the “appointment done and dusted” ASAP, before Narendra Modi is sworn in Prime Minister of India.
The Congress is adamant Modi doesn’t have the mandate to be Prime Minister of India. If anything, Narendra Modi should be greeted with another ‘Rahul Gandhi Wink’. For the Congress, there is no better person currently to be Prime Minister of India than Rahul Gandhi even if the post of LoP Lok Sabha should do for the time being, till a Nitish Kumar or a Chandrababu Naidu pulls the rug from under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clay feet.
Before that Rahul Gandhi has to make a decision, whether to be the MP from Wayanad or the MP from Raebareli. Last heard Uttar Pradesh will have the last word, call it the last laugh. Choosing to contest from a constituency in the “north” gave the “less informed north Indian voter” to prove he was as election-savvy as his south Indian cousin. Rahul’s misunderstanding on that score will stand settled for once and for all.
Rahul Gandhi has already started behaving like the LoP, holding meetings with the newly-elected Congress MPs, giving them pep-talks and advising them on how to take victory and loss in the right tight spirit, not feel down and under at seeing Narendra Modi as Prime Minister once again. Swallowing the bitter pill is old hat for the Congress under Rahul Gandhi.
Important thing is, the Congress always has a Gandhi to lean on, rest its case with, and on. Who in the Congress will dispute that Rahul Gandhi won for the Congress 99 seats in the Lok Sabha? Who in the Congress will dispute that Rahul Gandhi owns the ‘Mohabbat Ka Dukan’ – lock, stock and barrel? Who in the Congress will dispute that with Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi ensured BJP got less than majority and the Congress doubled its tally? It is another matter that the Gandhi family owns the Congress – lock, stock and barrel.
Congressmen say the “two yatras” did the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in, made all the difference between Narendra Modi’s “defeat” and Rahul Gandhi’s “victory”. The CWC will meet and review the results. The CPP will elect its chairperson, the post reserved for Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi will be LoP, with the caveat “if he accepts this role”. In case, Rahul Gandhi does the Congress the favour, he will be LoP of 234 INDIA bloc Lok Sabha MPs.
The Congress harbours the hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dependence on Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar will cut short NDA Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reign. Both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu will in time show their true colours. Nitish and Babu in the company of Rahul Gandhi will follow the “coalition dharma”, but won’t in the company of Narendra Modi. So the INDIA bloc will wait and watch as Narendra Modi won’t last the course. The INDIA bloc has 234 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP tally is 240. The Congress leadership believes as LoP, Rahul Gandhi will give NDA Prime Minister Narendra Modi a run for the Lok Sabha’s money. (IPA)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
