When a 'leave' is not just leave of absence: Decoding Rahul Gandhi's vanishing act

His critics may say Rahul Gandhi going on leave is as good as him being present in the party, but his decision to stay away from the humdrum of an all important Budget session doesn’t bode well for the Congress. Is it really a simple matter of going on “leave” or is it a loud message to party satraps who refuse to fall in line? Whatever it is, there is more than what meets the eye. [caption id=“attachment_2116771” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “] Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. AFP[/caption] His latest decision to “reflect on recent events” does not seem to be a spur of the moment one. It seems almost a forced one where there was little option left for him. What Rahul wants is complete control over the party where he can implement his ideas and take the party forward, but what he has got so far is hardly enough for him to make any impact in the current scheme of things. Ever since the Congress plunged to its worst defeat in 2014, the Gandhi scion has been blamed for everything that has gone wrong by people outside the party and inside it. But what remains unsaid is despite being the de facto number 1 in the party he is too powerless against the entrenched old guard. A crucial Budget session is in progress where the Congress is expected to take the fight to the NDA on a number of issues ranging from land acquisition ordinance to allocation of coal blocks to Ordinance Raj. Rahul was expected to lead the charge as most of these issues remain close to his heart. It was under his insistence that UPA had to factor in remedial measures for farmers and land owners who would have to part with their land for big ticket projects. “This is actually subverting parliamentary democracy, and many of the ordinances are unjustified and anti-people” says Anand Sharma, Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha. “Land ordinance is anti-farmer and it violates a national consensus. The coal ordinance which is also a backdoor de-nationalisation of the coal sector,” he said. It appears that despite all his efforts to bring the entire organization on the same page, key differences still remain. Which is why the Rahul brigade is keen that he takes over as Congress president as soon as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in April. The problem seems to be convincing the Congress president of the dire need to do so, as it is believed that she wants the seniors to play an advisory role in the new scheme of things under Rahul. “He wanted an aggressive campaign in Delhi elections, he couldn’t have his way. He wanted a few UPA ministers and two CMs changed a year before 2014 elections, but that too didn’t happen,” said a Congress leader. “If he is to get all the brickbats, then he should be allowed to take decisions as well,” he confided. For the moment, Rahul Gandhi going on leave for a few weeks has become the butt of all jokes, especially on social media. With his mother’s failing health, he is often criticized for not taking his duties as vice-president seriously. One can raze an old construction and erect a new building, but the same is practically impossible in political parties. It is a gradual process, like in the BJP where seniors are still members of “Margdarshak Mandal”, yet have no say in party affairs. By making his leave public, Rahul has only invited more ridicule for himself. While the “strong message” tactic may have backfired amongst the public, it does give a brief insight into the frustration of a man who could have been prime minister at 34 years of age, but still cannot have complete control over the party a decade later.