Armed with a copy of the Constitution, Rahul Gandhi beamed at the waiting media during his first press conference after the Congress’s impressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls. He has a reason to smile with a slew of victories both for his party and the INDIA bloc. The Constitution was the theme of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign and also his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The pitch set by him has been that the BJP has scant regard for democracy whereas he is fighting to save it.
The Congress began the election campaign with the intention of not making it about the Gandhi scion. But by the end of it, it was about Rahul Gandhi. The posters and the films were all about him. It was a big chance that was taken because had the Congress repeated its 2019 performance, all knives would have been out against him, both within and outside the party.
Not everyone in the party was comfortable with the idea of a caste census or redistribution of wealth. But it seems, in some areas, these may have worked for the Congress. Rahul Gandhi managed to take advantage of the concern among young people over jobs and their future.
What worked for the Congress was the Mahalakshmi scheme and Rahul Gandhi’s projection of the INDIA front as a fighter for the backward and underprivileged sections. But the best part has been the performance of the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh, a pivotal state where the Congress has not done well in the past. It was Rahul Gandhi who went in for a controversial but strategic alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, and even the Samajwadi Party. It was he who insisted that seniors and stalwarts must contest. He ensured that Bhupesh Baghel, Charanjit Channi, Raj Babbar, and Deepender Hooda were in the fray. He himself, after much confusion, did take the plunge from Raebareli.
Finally, Rahul Gandhi has found his mojo and is here to stay. It was clear in the confidence oozing from him at the press conference. In 2019, Rahul resigned from the Congress Working Committee on the grounds that he was responsible for the party’s poor performance and complained that leaders did not support him. This time, with party chief Mallikarun Kharge by his side, this is a complaint he cannot make. Not only has he silenced for a while his critics in the BJP but many in his own party too who perhaps disagreed with his views.
But with this prize also comes responsibility. While it’s unlikely that Rahul Gandhi would want to take charge, it’s clear that with this mandate he may finally be able to make those changes in the party that he was unable to earlier: seniors should be replaced by younger blood, his people find space.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatras also seem to have helped him and his image. He has often been accused of being a disinterested, occasional politician. But these yatras ensured that he reached the masses. Possibly, he has managed to shed the image of being a reluctant politician. Within the INDIA bloc, Rahul’s stock rises and this means he finally replaces Sonia Gandhi as the negotiator. Acceptability by allies was an issue, as the likes of Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar preferred to do business with Sonia. This will change. Rahul Gandhi won’t be packing his bags.
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