G. Sampath - Reading Rahul Gandhi’s hand
Until a few months
ago, a politician could speak of a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ and expect to be
taken seriously. It was an eventuality that seemed both possible and probable.
A few days after the
Gujarat election results, it would seem that the spectre of a
‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ has been exorcised for the time being.
Four factors: One could discern four factors behind the
upswing in the Congress’s fortunes in Gujarat, and these may well constitute
the core ingredients for a pan-India revival too. The first is Rahul
Gandhi’s comfort level in a leadership role. Never before has he looked as
relaxed and confident as he did leading from the front in Gujarat. For long he
has been mocked as a bumbling neophyte lacking the commitment necessary for the
rigours of electoral politics. But as he travelled across Gujarat, addressing
nearly 30 rallies, gone was the diffident dilettante mouthing ghost-written
speeches. Instead, what the people saw was a politician who was earnest, did
not act like the entitled dynast he was said to be, and was eager to listen.
The second is Mr.
Gandhi’s capacity for self-effacement, which enabled him to bring together
competing political egos for a larger cause. Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and
Jignesh Mevani are massively popular, ambitious youth leaders representing
different constituencies and whose political agendas are often mutually
contradictory. What united them under the auspices of the Congress was their
readiness to trust Mr. Gandhi. It is difficult to think of another Congress
politician who could have pulled off this remarkable social coalition —
remarkable because it was based not on a cynical caste calculus but on
substantive issues such as employment, educational opportunities, unfair
taxation, land rights, and agrarian distress.
The third element,
unlike the others, is a work in progress: organisational presence on the
ground. The Congress mostly managed this by drawing on pre-existing
mobilisations such as the Patidar movement. But one instance where it came a
cropper was Surat. The textile city had become the epicentre of anti-Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) anger in Gujarat. But the crowds that turned up for Mr.
Patel’s rallies in Surat did not translate into votes. The Congress’s
near-absence at the ground level and the BJP’s superiority in booth management
and financial firepower made all the difference as the latter swept the city,
winning 15 of the 16 seats. The Surat phenomenon is bound to repeat itself
unless Mr. Gandhi fixes the rot in the middle and lower rungs of the party and
turns them into reliable cogs in the organisational machinery.
Last, and most
critical to the Congress’s electoral prospects, is the articulation of an
alternative politics that is credible, imaginative, and connects with the
masses. And it is here that Mr. Gandhi has surprised everyone. His speech after
taking over as Congress president offered the clearest glimpse to date into his
vision of politics. Though not a full-fledged narrative, the outline suggested
by his pronouncements has the potential to serve as an alternative pole of
mobilisation and affective investment.
Sets of binaries: By now, the contrast
between Mr. Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is apparent to all. In
terms of stature, popularity, charisma, and accomplishments, the former is a
David up against Goliath. But David may have found a way to make the contrast
work in his favour. If Mr. Modi exudes
power and authority, Mr. Gandhi personifies a low-key civility. If one evokes
admiration and awe, the other has the ability to inspire affection. If one is a
great speaker, the other presents himself as a great listener. Interestingly
enough, of late Mr. Gandhi has shown a penchant for expanding these sets of
binaries in a manner that further sharpens the contrast between himself and Mr.
Modi… read more:
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/reading-rahul-gandhis-hand/article22261340.ece