Persistently refusing to learn from a string of electoral defeats, the Congress seems to have pressed the self-destruct button – much to the glee of its principal rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress Working Committee’s decision to continue with Sonia Gandhi as the president of the party despite the embarrassing defeat in UP and Punjab is a clear indication that it is wary of changing the status quo.
As usual, the Gandhis – including Sonia and her children, Rahul and Priyanka – must have offered to step back fully aware that their sycophants within the party will never let it happen. Hence, notwithstanding criticism by a small section of leaders who have been calling for reforms, the dynasty remains in control of the Grand Old Party.
There have been several attempts by a section of Congress leaders to project Rahul Gandhi not only as the leader of the party but also as the future Prime Minister of the country. He actually held the reins of the party for some time but his leadership failed to bring about any qualitative change. He is still seen as the successor to his mother and a leader in the Nehruvian mould. But Rahul’s utter failure to lead the party to victory in the elections has taken the sheen off his leadership.
Rahul’s sister, Priyanka, was at one point of time seen as Congress’ X factor. Many compared her with her grandmother Indira Gandhi and some predicted that she would be able to shore up the party’s sagging fortunes with the kind of charisma that Indira had. But Priyanka proved to be a dud in the UP campaign and the halo apparently surrounding her has vanished.
The problem with the Congress is that the party is not willing to look beyond the Gandhis as far as leadership is concerned. The truth is that the Gandhis themselves have been loath to the idea of anyone else leading the party which the family has, for all practical purposes, been treating as its fiefdom.
The strained relationship of the family with veteran Narasimha Rao during his tenure as Prime Minister is well known. Though deferential towards Sonia, Rao – unlike some other Congressmen of his era – refused to be a yes man and that embittered the relations between the two. The loyalists of the family are yet to give Rao the respect he deserves as a former Prime Minister and a seasoned Congress leader who steered the party and the country through difficult times.
The Gandhis are so used to being fawned upon and obeyed that they cannot accept anyone with a spine as the leader of the party. They need blind followers and as long as Congressmen continue to oblige them, there is no future for the party.
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