FROM THE VIEWSROOM. Return of the prodigal

One would have been elated if, instead of dwelling on the relative merits of Sonia Gandhi’s continuation in the Congress President’s office as opposed to Rahul Gandhi’s imminent coronation, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had announced her own candidature for the job. Alternatively, Captain Amarinder Singh’s shenanigans in Punjab would have found my wholehearted support if he had gone where no man other than PV Narasimha Rao has ever gone before.

All the carping in the Congress does not go beyond one Gandhi or the other. Unlike in the ruling party where Narendra Modi more or less announced his candidature despite his seniors’ vocal opposition, the top job in the Congress still remains reserved for the first family. It is hardly likely that either Sheila Dikshit or Amarinder Singh would be indifferent to this reality. So, what are they hoping to achieve by advertising their preference for the mother over the son?

Rahul’s long hibernation is, in fact, a push for wresting absolute control over the party from his mother. When that happens, it could be the end of the road for veterans ranging from Ahmed Patel and Janardan Dwivedi to Sheila Dikshit and the little fiefdoms that thrive under Sonia’s benevolent leadership.

The list of the younger Gandhi’s inadequacies is large but reluctance to change the status quo is not one of them. Unlike his mother who has worked with the older lot and respected individual power centres, Rahul has shown an inclination to experiment with new leaders. Ajay Maken has emerged as the undisputed leader in Delhi as has Madhavsinh Solanki in Gujarat. It is widely believed that once in the saddle, Rahul is likely to revamp the party in the manner that he has been itching to do for the last decade. Frankly, all this matters only to a handful of news junkies. For the rest, his arrival is as much of a non-event as his prolonged absence.

Political Editor

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