Rahul Gandhi making a political comeback at periodic intervals has become a routine. But Sonia Gandhi returning to take charge of the party and leading it from the front is news. The initial response of the Congress “high command” after the trouncing across five states was customary. Call for a CWC meeting and have a scripted sequence of the family offering to resign, the loyal retainers turning it down, expressing solidarity and resolving to work together sinking differences and, in return, the supremo promising early organisational elections. But since then, with the stir among the old guard represented by the G23 gaining traction, Sonia Gandhi has become more visible and vocal both in Parliament and in the party signalling that she is once again on the saddle. Simultaneously, both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with their lackeys, seem to have advisedly dialled down their public profile except for the odd recreational tweet from Rahul Gandhi’s handle. Clearly, there is much better choreography and calibration at play. Sonia Gandhi’s admission of the need to “revive” the Congress was refreshingly candid in contrast to the disdainful denial of the problem by her children. Her measured statements have restored some of the lost gravitas of Congress leadership, which of late spoke primarily through a bunch of conceited and condescending spokespersons. So, what prompted this SOS intervention by the matriarch? No doubt she was guided by her survival instincts — both about the future of the party and the dynasty, which are interrelated. But what really changed or when did the penny finally drop for her to move to the centre stage shelving her earlier strategy of leaving the space free for her progenies to claim? Part of the credit must go to the elders of the G23 who, knowing the limits of their capacity to lead a revolt, opted for wisdom over bravado. Windows of 10 Janpath were opened by honest brokers like Bhupinder Singh Hooda making it easy for Sonia Gandhi to break the ice. [caption id=“attachment_10048481” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]
File image of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. PTI[/caption] However, a bigger threat was probably the performance of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab. If Punjab was a wake-up call, the AAP’s rapid move into Gujarat even before the Congress could recover from the shock of its defeat was a loud warning bell. So long the Congress has been basking in self-confidence believing that no Opposition alliance would be viable without the Congress as its pivot. The theory cited was that the Congress is in direct fight with the BJP in over 180 seats and it still commands 19 per cent of the vote share and nearly 12 crore voters behind it. However, the AAP has demonstrated in Punjab that it is able to wean away from the disenchanted and dispirited core supporters of the Congress — by a new formulation of nationalism and notional (good) governance. With sub-national parties like Samajwadi Party, RJD, Trinamool Congress, YSR Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP appropriating the anti-BJP constituency in other states further shrinking the Congress’ footprint. But, for how long can Sonia hold the fort is the question that ought to be on the mind of Congress watchers. She had bought 10 years’ time for grooming Rahul Gandhi by putting Manmohan Singh in the Prime Minister’s Office. She must be disappointed that several false starts and multiple relaunches later Rahul is yet to come of age notwithstanding countless plugs in media by the party’s PR handlers. As a supplementary strategy, Priyanka was drafted into the battle. Though she showed initial promise, it is still early days for her to move into the driver’s seat. Besides, that would have implications for Rahul’s ultimate stake which Sonia will have to factor in. There is growing impatience in the ranks, especially among the young ambitious set, who are exploring prospects in the BJP, AAP or other regional parties. The latest being Ahmed Patel’s son, who has put the leadership on notice. Given this scenario, Sonia Gandhi had little option but to jump in for a rescue act. No matter what people say or the family claims, it is given that the Congress in its present form cannot exist without the Gandhis at the centre of power. That is the way Indira Gandhi had conceived Congress (I) and Sonia has successfully carried on the legacy — even at a cost to democracy and society at large, as she herself admitted, albeit indirectly. So, whatever arrangements she puts in place must be interim at best to buy time for one of the siblings to take over the reins. One solution would be to find a placeholder as Congress president to facilitate a transition later. But neither Rahul nor Priyanka have Sonia’s maturity and political instincts to manage someone as pliant as Manmohan Singh — forget a stronger political persona like PV Narasimha Rao. Thus Sonia’s task is not only cut out but she also does not have the luxury of time on her side. So, what can be Sonia Gandhi’s game-plan? Though there have been indications of organisational elections before September, that may be a risky gamble to make. If Rahul Gandhi is appointed as president and Congress loses Gujarat, it will mean another setback that will be difficult to wash off even for a battle-hardened loser like Rahul Gandhi. However, if a new president can give the impression of resurgence, it would consolidate her or his position and claims in the long term. So, Sonia Gandhi’s first task would be to put together a team of competent party managers to work under her directions to get the organisation back on track.
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Rahul may not be amenable to taking on board some of the veteran power brokers, however, Sonia must insist on replacing some of the rootless wonders surrounding him with some people of substance. Priyanka will have to manage the back office with panache keeping in check her own impulses of entitlement. This may pave the way for a better partnership between Rahul and Priyanka while grooming a new set of generals to fight the next war. Before everything the Congress needs a taste of electoral success to live another day. If anyone, it is only Sonia who can provide that elixir of life to an institution in a terminal decline. The author is a current affairs commentator, marketer, blogger and leadership coach, who tweets at @SandipGhose. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .