Rattled by Rajasthan internal politics, Sonia Gandhi had to rush to join the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ to send out the message that ‘all is well’.
NEW DELHI: After the Rajasthan development and the confusion during the Congress presidential poll process, the question being raised now is whether all is well in the Gandhi family. All that happened over the past few days seems to be part of a well-planned strategy by someone in the party. Undoubtedly, the political crisis gave Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and the entire organisation anxious moments. The workers, who were feeling recharged after the anti-inflation stirs, were taken aback. The Congress gave the BJP more than what it expected in terms of political advantage. It is believed that “someone close to the high command” was behind all this. The high command should find him out and punish. The development harmed the Congress’ prospects, particularly in the poll-bound states.
Sonia Gandhi, who normally remains indoors due to poor health, had to join her son Rahul’s Bharat Jodi Yatra just to give a message that all is well in the family. With the Congress apparently unprepared for the upcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the workers are totally in confusion. The grand old party seems to have conceded defeat even without fighting polls, say many political analysts. So, the party is focussing on the yatra which will do the Congress any good or not remains to be seen.
The enthusiasm that the Bharat Jodo Yatra had created among workers dissipated when the Rajasthan crisis broke out all of a sudden. Even Rahul and Sonia were taken aback. Why did all that happen when everything was decided? This was the question in the Congress circles.
The development derailed the Congress politics in Rajasthan. Was it not an attempt to create a wedge between the Gandhis and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. It set off the debate on the role of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as well. Some say that she cannot do anything that could harm her brother Rahul’s politics. But the decisions taken by her in the past and some recent developments do raise many an eyebrow.
After taking control of the party in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took all the decisions herself, like the alliance with the Samajwadi Party. But the Congress was actually wiped out of existence in UP. When Priyanka Gandhi Vadra intervened in Punjab, the party’s prospects nosedived.
After this, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got a bit more active and started taking some decisions. Their “crisis-manager” Ashok Gehlot played a crucial role in getting the high command’s decision implemented. After the Udaipur brainstorming, Gehlot won the confidence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi all the more.
Amid Enforcement Directorate questioning of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, the leadership asked Gehlot to lead the demonstrations from the front. The Ramlila Maidan rally on 4 September against price rise was a grand success owing to Gehlot’s efforts as well. The message was sent out that Gehlot will be the next Congress president. He emerged as a leader next to the Gandhis in the hierarchy. The message was received well by the workers whose enthusiasm was seen when the Bharat Jodo Yatra commenced on 7 September. In the meantime, as an observer for Gujarat, Gehlot remained active in the meetings for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.
All was smooth till the return of Priyanka’s return from abroad on 10 September. Sonia Gandhi also returned from foreign trip with her daughter. This was followed by a flurry of “secret” meetings in which Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also remained active. All the development was a reminder of what happened in 2019 when Sonia Gandhi took over as interim president. Then, coterie leaders made Rahul Gandhi understand why Mukul Wasnik’s elevation would be harmful for the Congress. So, Rahul Gandhi immediately proposed the name of K.C. Venugopal that changed the entire picture. This time also, these advisors had a plan to get Priyanka Gandhi appointed president by upsetting the Rajasthan equations. There were reports about Priyanka Gandhi seeking to file papers. But Sonia Gandhi rushed to her daughter’s residence late at night and persuaded Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not to do so. Rahul Gandhi did not also want Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to file nomination papers.
Since then, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been less active in party programmes. She was not seen with her mother Sonia Gandhi in Bharat Jodo Yatra. Priynka’s absence sparked off more speculation that there is something wrong in the Gandhi family. It is a fact that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had approved Gehlot’s name for the president post and that there was no pressure on him to quit as Chief Minister. But who was pressuring him to step down as Chief Minister before filing the nomination papers? The impression was created that all this is happening as per the wish of the high command.
However, the role of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s advisors came under question. Their intention is also questionable, say sources. The entire development adversely affected the image of Rahul Gandhi as well as that of the party. The developments beginning 4 September raise many eyebrows on the role of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s advisors. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s presence was not there in any of the programmes. She was neither in the rally nor in Bharat Jodo Yatra. She is still missing from the scenes of action till date.
In fact, Rahul Gandhi started giving importance to senior leaders after the party’s dismal performance in five state elections including UP.
So, Rahul Gandhi wanted Gehlot at the helm of the party. On hearing this, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s advisors persuaded her to intervene so as to stall Gehlot’s elevation like what was done in 2019 when Wasnik was stopped from being interim president. Most of the advisors of Rahul Gandhi who were active in 2019 have now left the Congress. Now, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s advisors are at their job. They have no mass base, surviving solely on sycophancy. They are least bothered about whether the party wins or loses in elections.