OPINION: Future of Congress now depends upon Rahul

Someone may or may not like, it was long back decided that the strong and young leader of Congress would be Rahul Gandhi.  Now, keeping in view the coming Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi has been declared as leader of the committee constituted for the purpose of selection of candidates. This means, after Sonia Gandhi, the recommendations of Rahul Gandhi would be considered.  From these arrangements, it is also crystal clear that whosoever would get a seat in Parliament in 2014, will be of the choice of Rahul Gandhi and would also be accountable to him.  During the last few days, predictions were being made that Rahul Gandhi would be given a major responsibility. So is the time.

By giving authority to Rahul Gandhi, the Congress has shown its cards of strategy and the apprehension amongst the Congress leaders will end now.  But they never knew as to when Rahul would take this responsibility.  In view of the present condition and status of Congress, the big decision taken by the party could given enthusiasm to party workers.  No doubt, for Rahul it is not an easy task for him but two things goes in his favour.

First, Rahul being from Nehru-Gandhi family, the support of dedicated leaders of Congress, would be with him.  Second, after the elections in 2009, whatever expectations were attached with him, would not be now as he was a middle class leader and all young generation was recognizing him as their leader.  At the same time, he is not free from problems as during the second term of Manmohan Singh, the popularity of Congress has gone down with the continuous scams and corruption charges.  The most important thing is that the speed of economy had been very slow with the result the problems of common man were increased.  The inflation is such an issue which is pinching the common people more.

It is a commonsense; the common man is with the leader who wins.  In 2009,  the Congress won the seats more than its expectations and Rahul become a popular leader.  After, the defeat of Congress in all the elections, created problems for Rahul. In the states like, Bihar, UP, Tamilnadu, Goa , Rahul too active part in assembly elections but the Congress was defeated and the candidates put forward by Rahul were specifically noticed by the party.  The planning of Rahul to reconstitute the strong Congress was also not successful and for this Rahul is not only to be blamed because the problems of Congress on constitution of committees, were the result of wrong administrative arrangements in the last few decades and to set them right in a short span, is not possible.

In fact, the Congress don’t have a ground leaders in view of changed circumstances but ray of hope is there as the opposition of Congress party are not united.  Another important factor is that Congress is the only national level party and it has vast sphere of its vote and seats.  The second biggest party is BJP but during the last about one decade, instead of flourishing and widening its circle, it has narrowed its ideologies. 

Now the year 2014 would a decisive for Rahul’s standing.  In case he wins, the entire nation would be with him and in case, it looses, the status of Congress party would be totally different.