Rahul Gandhi must make up his mind now
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has asked its vice president to lead the grand old party of India. It is an invitation that is not new. Similar invitations were made in the past, but Rahul Gandhi has not been keen so far to take up the challenge. Either it is the current president Sonia Gandhi who calls the last shots in the Congress, making the working committee a lame duck instrument, or it is the vice president's unwillingness. Although the Congress Working Committee has the mandate to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the president, so far it too has been lackadaisical in its attitude towards the ‘budding’ leader. It is one thing to periodically call a Press conference and publicly invite the leader to lead the party, but quite another to seriously introspect whether Rahul Gandhi has the political wherewithal to lead the party to victory.
One important shortcoming of the Congress vice president is that he lacks administrative experience. Unlike others, Gandhi had the opportunity to learn the intricacies of administration and state bureaucracy when the UPA was in power. Ten years is a long time in the political history of a nation and especially so for a political leader who wants to make a mark and aspires to lead the nation. Thus, not to take up the mantle when there was ample opportunity to learn, reveals a bent of mind that is not just reluctant but also lethargic. Perhaps this is the reason the CWC time and again makes its wishes clear but leaves it on Rahul Gandhi to walk the further steps to the coveted position. Dynastic politics has its limitation, more so in a vibrant democracy. Democracy and dynasty cannot go hand in hand. By its very nature, dynastic politics, which to say the least is not limited to the Congress but has sadly become a hallmark of most regional parties in India, is intrinsically unsuited for a democracy. The left and the Right are the two sections that have been left untouched by this ubiquitous development because they are cadre-based, ideological parties.
Democracy and, more importantly, constitutional democracy, should not merely work on the strength of numbers. There is no question that elections are one important aspect of deciding a winner between competing parties, but to put numbers above constitutional mandate is not only wrong but also immoral. And, if dynasty must continue, as it is most likely to going by the political style that has become a partial identity of the Congress, then Rahul Gandhi ought to stop behaving as a hesitant leader. The Congress Working Committee also must raise its expectations, not to mention leadership standards, that it wants its future leader to exhibit. It appears that Sonia Gandhi does not want to lead the party into the next lok Sabha election. If Rahul Gandhi is the next president, he ought to be prepared to face national and international challenges.Thus, it is essential that the next generation of Congress workers have as their leader who not just possesses the right name but also the vision to lead the party and the nation.