When a leadership is surrounded by hardened sycophants, it needs no enemies.
In early 2014, it was clear to most political pundits that the Congress party was going to lose badly in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections which it did. But it wasn’t clear to the Congress leaders; they couldn’t read the writing on the wall. As perennial sycophants, they kept on feeding the Triumvirate of the mother, son and daughter that the party was winning big. When a leadership is surrounded by such hardened sycophants, it needs no enemies.
Post the election verdict, the party went through the ritual of doing a postmortem of its unprecedented debacle, but expectedly, absolved the top leadership of the responsibility for the defeat. Since 2014, the Congress party has lost a number of state elections and the Parliamentary election of 2019.The 137-year grand old party has remained at the helm at the Centre for over 40 years and had governments in more than 20 states once upon a time. It has now shrunken beyond recognition; it has its own government in two states: Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and is in a coalition government in two, Bihar and Tamil Nadu, as a junior partner. In spite of its several Chintan Shivars and Rahul Gandhi’s decade long attempts to rediscover India, the INC hasn’t figured out why it keeps losing elections and why the BJP keeps winning. Evidently, the top leadership of the INC suffers from the ostrich syndrome. It can’t see its adversary staring it in the face; burying its head deep in the sand of sycophancy, it isn’t aware of what’s happening in society, how fast India is changing and how the youth, exploding with aspirations, is expecting tangible results from the ruling dispensations.
The Congress seems to be suffering from a death wish; it has indifferently allowed the exit of dozens of young, dynamic, articulate, effective and capable leaders, who could have formed the second generation of party leadership.
India is a nation of hero-worshippers. Thanks to the notion of 33 crore Devi-Devatas, one can choose a hero of one’s choice. Rightly or wrongly, we look up to the God/Goddess of our choice for inspiration and guidance and assume that he/she will stand by us in an hour of crisis and remove all hurdles from our paths, address all our day to day problems and take us to the promised El Dorado. In other words, he is there for us; he is our defender, our saviour and the deliverer. Any leader who, by his or her words, actions, vision and dreams is able to conjure up this image, is lapped up by the masses. Alas, for a decade, the Congress has been facing a leadership crisis at the top. Notwithstanding its century-old legacy of freedom struggle and governance, its leaders don’t inspire the cadre; they don’t lead from the front. When the BJP assumed the reins of power in Delhi, Amit Shah promised a Congress Mukt Bharat. Well, the Congress is itself doing a splendid job in this regard.
Whenever the iconic tennis legends, Roger, Rafa and Novak lose a match, they sportingly heap praise on their adversary: he was too good, he was a better player, he deserved to win. They dissect their defeat, dispassionately analyse their game, take note of the deficiencies, try to find ways to rectify them and with higher motivation, preparations, planning and self-belief and better strategy, try to convert their setbacks into comebacks. Mostly it works. The INC can learn a lot from these tennis idols.
Underestimating Narendra Modi and a resurgent BJP has been Congress’ biggest mistake. Narendra Bhai is the smartest politician of his generation. With his exceptional oratory, well-honed ability to connect with the people and sense their pulse, with an abundance of big ideas and inspirational vision, he conjures up enticing dreams which millions of Indians hold dear to their heart. He exudes infectious enthusiasm and confidence and comes out as a leader who means business. Hundreds of people friendly schemes introduced by him have changed the lives of millions of people even if the implementation might not have been 100%. He has earned the trust of the masses. When loose cannons of the Sangh Parivar make inflammatory remarks and provocative and condemnable utterances are heard from the Dharma Sansad in Haridwar and Opposition parties cry foul of the CBI and the ED and bulldozers, the general public spares him of the blame. While his corruption charges against the Opposition parties are believed; their accusations against him are dismissed disdainfully.
The Congress still hasn’t realised that calling Modi Chaiwala and Maut Ka Saudagar and selling the Chaukidar Chor Hai tag line hasn’t helped. Rahul’s persistent noise about underhand dealings in Rafale purchase too hasn’t cut much ice.
The Congress needs a change at the top and it needs a new narrative. In spite of all the media hype created around Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, it won’t bring votes for the party. There was a Congress administration in Delhi for 15 years under Sheila Dikshit. How come the INC has drawn a blank in Delhi in the last 10 years? Charity begins at home. Rahul should have first set out on a Delhi Jodo Yatra!
Rahuls’ father, mother, grandmother have all won from Uttar Pradesh, which has given four Congress PMs. But now the INC has one seat only in UP. Why not a UP Jodo Yatra?
In 2014, the BJP sidelined L.K. Advani, a veteran who had built the BJP with A.B. Vajpayee, served as the Deputy PM and had led the Rath Yatra, and opted for Narendra Modi. The rest is history. Mallikarjun Kharge, with his record of unflinching loyalty and decades of experience can at best be the Advani of the Congress. The party’s future doesn’t lie with him. it lies with Shashi Tharoor.
A UN diplomat and a best-selling writer turned politician with an enviable oratory and debating ability in English (even PM Modi applauded his Oxford Union speech), Tharoor as the Congress president might not be able to beat the BJP in 2024, but he will bring in much needed new ideas in the old party, attract the 21-35 age group of urban, educated voters and offer a persuasive alternative political narrative, which will do the Congress party a lot of good in the long run.
Congressmen, who stand for Congress’ revival should rally around Tharoor. And leaders of Opposition parties, who want a strong Opposition for the health of the Indian democracy should extend him a helping hand.
Surendra Kumar is a former Ambassador of India.