Just when Congress workers and leaders looked up to a combative Rahul Gandhi to lead the party’s crusade against the BJP Government on the controversial land Bill and a slew of Ordinances, the Gandhi scion has gone into hibernation. The Congress vice-president’s abrupt decision to give the Budget Session a miss for a sabbatical in the hills has left the party leaders in the lurch. Sources said Rahul is resting and introspecting in Uttarkashi.
Rahul’s sudden decision has set tongues wagging in political circles. Sources in the AICC said that Rahul left Delhi in a huff due to differences between him and party chief Sonia Gandhi over party’s affairs and conduct of the “old guard”.
The party had decided to target the Government in a big way on the land Ordinance and Rahul was slated to lead the agitation on February 25. In his absence, leaders like Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khurshid, and Sachin Pilot, among others will have to lead the agitation at Jantar Mantar, where social activist Anna Hazare stole the show on Monday with his protest against the land Ordinance.
Rahul is believed to have expressed his annoyance over a tweet by senior party leader Ahmed Patel, who is also the political secretary to Sonia. Patel had last week tweeted: “It will be bizarre for the Government to be expecting support from the Congress after it has diluted UPA’s policies & programmes for needy.”
Rahul reportedly expressed his displeasure over Patel trying to grab attention when he (Rahul) was in the process of devising a strategy to take on the Government with the help of his hand-picked team. Sources said Rahul is not in favour of the old guard calling the shots in the party. And now, tension between Rahul brigade and Sonia team has often come into public domain.
“This is a battle between two sets of thoughts which the grand old party is presently facing. Rahul, on several occasions in the past, has expressed his feelings against the ‘old’ coterie. He wants to build his own team. Rahul was also upset over Sonia’s suggestions that he should discuss strategy for the Budget Session and the proposed land Ordinance protest with some senior leaders,” said a close confidant of Rahul.
Sources said that the difference of opinion emerged also over organisational restructuring which Rahul desired to adopt with a sea change at the AICC session scheduled in April. likely to be anointed as the next party chief, Rahul reportedly asked Sonia to rope in Priyanka Vadra in the mainstream affairs of the party.
Rahul is also believed to have pointed out about the credentials and contributions of people like Vincent George and Madhu Kant Shukla when the party was in complete disarray during the 1990s. He is reportedly upset that they have been sent into oblivion by the coterie.
In a damage-control exercise, AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said speculation is denied and condemned. “They are unfair. Rahul has sought time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party. It has nothing to do with his role in the party. He has gone to reflect on party affairs and not on his role,” Singhvi said at the AICC briefing.
However, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy said it shows his (Rahul) seriousness at a time the Budget Session of Parliament is beginning.
Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said at a time when the issue of land acquisition has come to fore in Parliament, he (Rahul Gandhi) has gone to retrieve the “lost land” of Congress.
Deputy leader of Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma has given a notice for suspension of Question Hour on Tuesday to discuss the land Ordinance, calling it “anti-farmer”. The Congress has discussed the issue with the SP, the JD(U), the Trinamool, and the left parties for a “coordinated attack” on the Modi Government.