NEW DELHI: The paradox is that on 3 May, when Kishori Lal Sharma filed his nomination papers, no family member or Pradesh Congress president was present with him.
When was the last time you saw Rahul Gandhi in the traditional Congress attire of kurta-pajama? Old photos might be found, but since his tours began, he’s often seen wearing a white T-shirt and jeans or pants. This time, after leaving his Amethi “estate”, Rahul Gandhi descended upon Rae Bareli, the inheritance of Feroze Gandhi and Indira Gandhi, via a private plane, dressed in a modern attire similar to his usual style, to file his nomination for the elections. Even at the airport, he joyfully put his arm around his sister Priyanka’s neck, continuing to move as if a traveller had come to roam about with his family or attend a wedding.
Naturally, Priyanka’s husband Robert Vadra, mother Sonia Gandhi, and party leader Ashok Gehlot were with him, along with security personnel. Meanwhile, local Congress leaders and workers had been welcoming him with cheers for two days. Yes, there was some disappointment in Amethi and some enthusiasm in Rae Bareli. But for Rahul, who believes in fast-paced action, there was no time to thank or express gratitude to ordinary workers or reporters chasing him with microphones for hours. His deep passion for fast-paced activities like running, swimming, boxing, and paragliding is well known. Hence, descending upon Rae Bareli in paraglider-style, offering a glimpse to the poor people, was sufficient.
Indeed, from the era of Indira Maiya to Rahul Baba, revolutionary changes are occurring in this region and the Congress.
The reason for bringing up this matter is that as a journalist, since 1972, I have been observing, writing, and speaking about the political ups and downs of Rae Bareli and Amethi with figures like Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Arun Nehru, and Priyanka Gandhi. Due to the old connections of the Amethi dynasty and the Nehru family, Feroze Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi tried to establish their political base in this region during their election campaigns. I myself reported on this voluntary service camp organized by the Youth Congress in June-July 1976 for road construction to lay the foundation for their political base. Sanjay lost the 1977 elections, but from 1980 onwards, and especially after 1981, either Sanjay, Rajiv Gandhi, or Rahul Gandhi remained victorious until 2014. Sanjay, Rajiv, and Rahul Gandhi were seen in the traditional Congress khadi kurta-pajama attire during their visits to this area or party events. After the electoral defeat in 2019, Rahul Gandhi has shown a political traveller’s demeanour, relying on his preferred associates and advisors rather than taking on any party responsibilities, with a modern and aggressive communist ideology and boxer-like attitude.
According to the official constitution of the Congress party, members are supposed to work with a belief in a common thread devoid of discrimination based on religion or caste.
However, for the past two years, Rahul Gandhi has been relentlessly campaigning for separate reservation for Muslims and engaging in caste-based census to the extent that it seems to be the goal of his life. His supporters and allies are now trying to present him as the prime ministerial candidate for Rae Bareli and the country. Similarly, the party still has a policy of prohibition according to its constitution, but Rahul Gandhi is now fighting for power by forming alliances with Arvind Kejriwal’s party, accused of being involved in the liquor scandal associated with increased liquor sales. The main role in the movement to remove the Congress party from Delhi and the Centre in 2014 was played by Kejriwal’s party.
Rahul Gandhi, unsettled by Smriti Irani’s previous electoral victory in Amethi, deemed it necessary to contest elections in the secure inheritance of Rae Bareli instead of persevering in this region.
This decision came even as he contests elections from Wayanad, Kerala. While Sonia Gandhi contemplated contesting elections in Rae Bareli after becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha instead of her daughter Priyanka, there was much discussion about Priyanka contesting from this area. It’s true that Priyanka has been actively involved in the family and party campaign in Rae Bareli and Amethi since 1999. Therefore, both she and her husband Robert Vadra remained contenders for elections in Rae Bareli and Amethi. However, Rahul and his team aspire to seize control of this legacy. Rahul Gandhi had already stated in an interview with a newspaper editor before the 2014 elections that “Priyanka is my sister and friend. She is also a Congress worker. She is helping me and the organization.
I don’t think she will have any electoral role.” Instead of allowing Kishori Lal Sharma, an old loyal private assistant of the family, to contest from Amethi this time, the family and the party chose him as the candidate for Amethi. He has been coming to this area from the time of Rajiv Gandhi’s era on behalf of the family. But after 2009, Rahul handed over the responsibility of Amethi to his other assistants instead of Sharma, who occasionally visited Rae Bareli. But now, instead of taking up the challenge against Smriti Irani herself or fielding any experienced regional or national leader of the party against her, Kishori Lal Sharma has been put forward. This means that no other influential leader has emerged in the party.
The paradox is that on 3 May, when Kishori Lal Sharma filed his nomination papers, no family member or Pradesh Congress president was present with him. Whereas on the same day, the entire Gandhi family, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and other senior leaders were present in Rae Bareli, just 20 kilometers away, when Rahul submitted his nomination papers. Yes, in the morning, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra assured supporters from a car that she would come later for campaigning herself. After all, Amethi is a region steeped in the tradition of royalty. But that the people have been neglected is evident from the fact that Smriti Irani has gained popularity here actively working and prioritizing development projects since 2014. Rahul could not muster the courage to contest against her in the elections.