Rahul Gandhi At 55: Birthday Cheers, Democracy In Tears

Congress “supremo” Rahul Gandhi turned 55 last week. Expectedly, the party celebrated it in a big way, giving the impression that it was the biggest event of the year for them. It was, for it gave them an opportunity to publicly display their loyalty to their beloved leader. Although he holds no post in the party, it is an open secret that his word is final and the entire focus of the party hierarchy is to impress him and keep him in good humour.

The birthdays of leaders will come and go. The party seems to have forgotten that its focus should be revival and preparation for the 2029 parliamentary elections. The Congress party still believes Rahul Gandhi is its mantra to power. If that were the case, the party would not have been voted out in 2014, when the BJP under Narendra Modi came to power. The problem for Congress is that it still cannot look beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family, even after Rahul Gandhi’s rejection by voters thrice in a row.

In developed democracies, leaders step aside after being rejected by the electorate. It is wishful thinking to believe that voters will suddenly develop hope and affection for someone they have consistently turned down.

At 55, Rahul Gandhi is no longer seen as a young or next-generation leader. He has done little to ignite hope within the party or among voters. Barring his Bharat Jodo Yatra, a remarkable walkathon from the south to the north, which helped the party improve its tally by 47 seats in the Lok Sabha to reach 99, there has been no indication that he has grown into a mature leader. He has been a lawmaker for 21 years. Few in his place would have been afforded such a long gestation period. Yet, his words and actions show little evolution. His speeches still sound the same. The only change is that he has suddenly stopped mentioning the Ambanis when talking about crony capitalism under the Modi government. Earlier, he would name Ambani and Adani in the same breath. Now it is only Adani. It is hard to believe that the Ambanis were once culprits and have now become saints overnight.

No one has questioned him on this. No one in the party can. And the BJP doesn’t care, because it wants him to remain around as long as possible for obvious reasons. The answer, however, is not hard to find. Mukesh Ambani’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani, had mastered the art of winning over politicians across party lines. Mukesh Ambani may have briefly forgotten this lesson. Now that the Ambanis are off Rahul Gandhi’s radar, it can be assumed they have ‘bought peace’ with him.

The problem with being Rahul Gandhi lies in his upbringing. He can hardly be blamed if he grew up hearing that he was born to rule and destined to be Prime Minister. Anything less does not appeal to him. That was why he refused a ministerial post in Manmohan Singh’s second government. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, also lacked confidence in his readiness to take over as Prime Minister when Singh expressed willingness to step down.

The family and the party have sacrificed a great deal, including talented leaders who were shown the door for asking questions. Several others left on their own, suffocated by the lack of growth opportunities. Another leader the party may lose is Shashi Tharoor, who, unlike many in the Congress, has a mind of his own. The likes of poll strategist Prashant Kishor were not allowed to join because he sought a greater role in decision-making. Perhaps this also explains why every Congress spokesperson sounds the same. They merely repeat what they have been instructed to say, without exercising their judgement. One also wonders why both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi sound alike. Before she entered politics, Priyanka was often compared to her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and was known for her fiery oratory. Now, her speeches disappoint.

It may seem that Rahul Gandhi sets the tone and direction for the party. He is believed to make all key policy decisions. However, in truth, a group of six backroom strategists, all alumni of JNU or Allahabad University with left leanings, is believed to conduct research, select issues, prepare talking points (sometimes supported by dubious data), and draft the speeches delivered by the Gandhi siblings. Not all leaders have access to this group. By the time these themes percolate to the party rank and file, the substance is often diluted. Many are left red-faced when confronted with facts that expose their claims.

'Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Does Not Know Make In India...Should Do Some Homework': Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

The Congress party continues to suffer because its de facto leader lacks both credibility and maturity. This prolonged drift is disheartening even for those who yearn for a strong opposition, an essential pillar of India’s multi-party democracy.

There was a time when Congress was seen as the natural party of governance. Today, even that memory is fading. The organisation looks hesitant and confused about whether to rebuild itself as a national alternative or remain a family-run enterprise with a shrinking footprint. The party has become a prisoner of its echo chamber, waiting for miracles, recycling old slogans, and sidestepping the reality that Indian politics has moved far ahead of its comfort zone.

Ajay Jha is a senior journalist, author and political commentator.