Is Sam Pitroda again misguiding Rahul Gandhi on crucial issues?
The statement by Sam Pitroda, chairman of Indian Overseas Congress, blaming EVMs for the defeat of the grand old party reminds voters of an age-old adage that “a bad workman blames his tools”. Congress’ ideologue, Pitroda, also criticised the BJP saying that Ram Mandir wasn’t the real issue in the country.
The Congress has distanced itself from Pitroda’s Ram Mandir remarks. Is Pitroda again misguiding Rahul on crucial issues? Significantly, Rahul Gandhi’s controversial statements during interactions abroad are attributed to Pitroda’s advice. Pitroda, who is a Gandhi family confidant, is making such statements during his India visit after the Congress’ defeat in the recently held elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. As Indian Overseas Congress chief, Pitroda normally works for the grand old party abroad. He is involved in the strategy formulation for the party ahead of polls. He was posted in the Planning Commission during the UPA government.
While commenting on the Ram Mandir issue, Pitroda sort of suggested that religion should be kept away from politics. He said that Jawaharlal Nehru never used religion for political purposes. According to Pitroda, price rise and pollution are the real issues.
Who is stopping Congress from making inflation a big issue? If politics on religion is not acceptable, then who used the caste census issue during polls? How far is it justified for the Congress to stand with the parties who practise politics of appeasement? These are the questions that Pitroda is supposed to answer.
Significantly, the Congress had pursued the politics of caste till the 1980s. The regional parties emerged as a result of caste based politics. In Uttar Pradesh, both the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party finished Congress. These two parties prefer caste politics. Congress got marginalised in Bihar and in the South Indian states due to the same caste politics. The entire nation was rocked by violence in the 90s due to the then PM V.P.
Singh who was a Congress rebel. The country saw the entry of Kamandal politics which stopped the strife, resulting from the Mandal move. Hindus who were divided on caste lines were reunited by the Ayodhya happening, which benefited BJP considerably. This politics catapulted BJP from a mere two seats to over 300 seats. The Congress could not meet the minimum seat requirement for getting the Leader of Opposition post in Lok Sabha in 2014.
Pitroda was in power in 2014 so he must be aware how there was a strong resentment against the government led by Manmohan Singh during the Lok Sabha elections. Congress is keen to have an alliance with Arvind Kejriwal’s party AAP which has damaged it a lot. In 2013, Sheila Dikshit was defeated also due to anti-incumbency against UPA. Congress had got only 21 seats in Rajasthan Assembly polls then. The Ram Mandir issue was not there. EVMs were used in 2014 when Congress was in power at the Centre. While questioning EVMs, Pitroda seems to have ignored the fact that the UPA government and the Congress committed several mistakes in the past. That Congress always remained obsessed with power is also a fact. The party should have focused on the larger goal of obtaining a majority.
Congress still does not want to change itself. Rahul Gandhi again raked up caste census at a Nagpur rally. Apart from this, Congress has indicated that it will continue to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani. The Congress is not ready to come out of alliance politics despite insults by smaller regional parties. Congress wants to somehow repeat the result of the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. With the Congress refusing to do it on its own, the party organisation is getting weaker. Pitroda should be aware that Congress was harmed by its own leaders in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. The high command did not take timely action to contain the internal tussles. There was infighting in the Rajasthan unit for over two years, but the leadership did not do anything to control it. Similarly, Kamal Nath was given a free hand in Madhya Pradesh, and the organisation did not work hard. In Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel wasted his energy to save his post.
He focused only on how to be in Priyanka’s good book. As a result, the party was unhappy
with him. Workers did not devote time to campaigning. Congress needs to focus on uniting the organisation, only then there will be some positive results. Otherwise, the Congress should be ready to face a much worse situation in 2024.
Importantly, Congress heavyweights and CWC members will not perhaps be ready to contest the Lok Sabha polls next year. In 2019, senior leader Ajay Maken had gone abroad for treatment in what was seen as an excuse by him to avoid contesting polls. Several leaders are likely to do the same during the next year’s elections.