Paper leak protests boosted Congress, but controversies and upcoming polls could test its momentum.
During the Parliament’s Monsoon Session, the opposition, led by the Congress, succeeded in putting the government on the back foot. Consequently, the Delimitation Bill remained confined to discussions, and the FCRA Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) due to opposition. The Congress garnered significant media coverage and headlines for three weeks, but what comes next? In every session, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi manages to grab headlines in his own way, yet afterwards, everything goes into cold storage; he then reappears only during elections. Crucial elections are now approaching in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur.
The results of these elections will determine whether the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, is moving in the right direction, given that the party has suffered crushing defeats in all but one (Kerala) of the more than half a dozen state elections held so far. The opposition had been on the back foot following the BJP’s massive victory in West Bengal. However, the agitation over paper leaks provided a much-needed boost—a breath of fresh air—to the Congress and the opposition. Rahul Gandhi utilized this momentum to unite the opposition and corner the government. It cannot be denied that Rahul Gandhi dominated the scene both inside and outside Parliament. Yet, the real battle lies outside Parliament, an arena where the BJP has consistently gained the upper hand by winning state elections.
There are several reasons for this. For one, Rahul Gandhi does not directly engage in the battle on the ground; his foreign trips provide opportunities for the BJP to attack him, and there is already talk of him going abroad again soon. Thirdly, Rahul or the Congress often score ‘self-goals’—something that happened right after the session concluded. Everything was proceeding smoothly until, on the final day, Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera, accompanied by a few other MPs, began referring to a “56-inch monkey”—a remark that was, in many ways, inappropriate. A debate ensued regarding exactly which “56” was being referred to. Subsequently, their leader Rahul Gandhi dealt the final blow. By mocking India’s foreign policy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a ‘Constructive Congress’ conference, Rahul put the party on the back foot, inadvertently handing the BJP an opportunity for a major attack. Sandeep Dikshit’s actions were the most surprising; despite being the son of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and possessing extensive political experience, he failed to exercise the necessary judgment regarding what to say and where.
In his eagerness to please Rahul Gandhi, he made remarks involving the Italian Prime Minister that sparked a controversy. At the very least, the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister should have been upheld, yet that consideration was ignored. The BJP is unlikely to let this issue drop. Congress members eventually realized the error, but by then, it was too late. Even within the Congress, a significant faction did not appreciate the spectacle of Sandeep Dikshit embracing someone.
