 "The Priyanka myth: Why Congress' Plan B is also a dud")
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on 7 March 2012. In light of the renewed speculation that Priyanka Gandhi may be put forward by the party for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, we have republished it again. Ohmigod, Rahul is a big dud! Save us, Priyanka! The ink on the UP verdict has barely dried, but the clamour for the next Gandhi saviour has already begun. It’s time for Sonia to make her very own Sophie’s Choice : choose one child and abandon the other to preserve the dynasty. Never mind all that “serious reflection and introspection” suggested by some deluded Congress leaders, what the party really needs is some “detailed thinking” – as Rahul put it in his little speech – on how to change horses in midstream. While everyone is chanting ‘Hamara Rahul mahaan’ in front of the TV cameras, party leaders behind closed doors are singing a different and yet far-too-familiar tune :
One figure close to Mrs Gandhi said the party’s strategy had been wrong and described the decision to allow Mr Gandhi to lead the campaign a “serious mistake.” “Now the pressure will be for Priyanka [Gandhi] to be involved and up front for the party. Rahul should not have got involved [in the campaign], he should have a good team in instead,” he said.
[caption id=“attachment_237614” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Her magic failed to work this time. PTI[/caption] The legend of Priyanka-as-reincarnated Indira too has
reared its predictable head
: “Many observers consider Ms. Vadra, who bears a striking resemblance to her iron-willed grandmother, Indira Gandhi, to be more charismatic and a better public speaker than her brother.” This bizarre — and mostly unfounded — myth has dogged her poor brother who has always been cast as the weaker sibling, in line for succession due to the privilege of gender rather than any natural talent. After all, handing over the family bijness to a daughter is a travesty when there is a loyal son in the picture. But hey, here’s the bright side of the UP debacle: now that the son has proved to be useless, maybe we can all get the Gandhi we really, really want. Never mind that Priyanka has proved to be as big a dud in UP. As is usual, she was hauled out at election time much like a magic wand, charged with delivering the family strongholds in Amethi, Rae Bareli and Sultanpur. In one of her innumerable rallies,
she told the crowds
, “I promised Ma that we will get her all the 10 seats of Rae Bareli and Amethi.” The result: SP grabbed four of the five seats in Rae Bareli, and eight of the 10 assembly seats in Amethi and Sultanpur. The Congress retained one seat and gained another. Back in 2007, the party won 10 of the 15 seats. Sorry, Ma! “Iss baar Priyanka ka jaadu nahin chala (Priyanka’s magic has not worked this time),” says Pradip Tripathi, a Dainik Jagran reporter in Amethi — but not for the reasons that Congress would like to claim. Yes, there were obstacles that even Priyanka could not overcome: the shoddy candidates the party chose to field, their dismal track record in delivering benefits to their constituents, and the lack of grassroot infrastructure. But
a rare, candid report
on Priyanka’s campaign presence suggests a more serious problem: that the so-called ‘jaadu’ may be entirely imaginary. Reporting for Rediff.com, Sheela Bhatt describes
a very different Priyanka
:
By the time Priyanka arrives in Amaye Mafi village, most local reporters begin to murmur about the absence of a response from her audience. I am surprised to discover that Priyanka gives unimpressive speeches. It is as if she is fulfilling a ‘duty.’ Political passion is clearly absent. By 4 pm, in Tikarmafi village, Priyanka is so defensive that while addressing an audience of around 200 people, she says, “Iss chunav main nahin to humein agle chunav main bal milega (If not in the current election, we will be strengthened in the next election).”
Much of her spontaneity and charm, Bhatt suggests , is reserved for the media, local and national reporters alike, who love to cover her. What is compelling on screen — “She is sheer magic when seen through the eyes of a television camera” — is less than impressive on the ground, even in strongholds where her family is revered. Ok, so Priyanka isn’t likely to make a great politician either — or at least, there is no hard evidence as yet to suggest the same. But blaming the latest generation of Gandhis misses the larger, more important point. The problem isn’t Priyanka who has little political experience other than making stump speeches. Why should a homemaker who spends much of her time in Delhi with her family be a seasoned campaigner or expected to deliver votes? The problem isn’t with Rahul who has been pushed willy nilly into politics by his mother and the Congress party leadership. The problem isn’t with Sonia who rejected a political role in the aftermath of her husband’s death, only to have the party honchos literally beg her to take charge. The problem is that our oldest and largest political party has been reduced to a one-trick pony show. Increasingly bereft of ideas or values, the Congress has become a party in surname only. Everyone snickered when Robert Vadra declared , “It’s Rahul’s time now. Priyanka’s time will also come.” It would be funny if it weren’t also true. This is indeed the 126-year old Congress party’s Plan B – through Z. Interviewing Salman Khurshid on CNN-IBN, journalist Neena Singh asked, “Ok, so you say it isn’t about dynastic politics. So what is the glue that holds this party together — other than dynasty? What else is there?” A weary Khurshid shifted in his seat, shrugged his shoulders, and stared back at the camera in silence. It was a sad moment for the Congress party, and sadder still for our nation.