Why the Sachin Pilot rebellion won’t alter Congress 'family' DNA

Though a silent majority in the party believes a non-Gandhi should be given charge of the Congress, there is no consensus on the candidate

The ongoing political drama in Rajasthan has understandably added to the uneasiness in the Congress about the leadership vacuum in the party.

There is an all-round acknowledgement that the brewing differences between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot could have been sorted out if a proactive Congress leadership had stepped in before this feud degenerated into an ugly public spectacle. It was for the same reason that the Congress lost a prominent party face, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and government in Madhya Pradesh, to the BJP barely a few months ago.

A directionless party post-2019 Lok Sabha polls

The truth is that the Congress has been in a state of limbo ever since Rahul Gandhi put in his papers as party chief over a year ago. Sonia Gandhi’s appointment as interim Congress president may have staved off an immediate crisis but the fact that it is only a temporary arrangement has been cold comfort to the dejected and dispirited rank and file.

As the Congress loses state governments and leaders and shows no signs of revival, there is a sense of urgency in the party that a full-time president be appointed at the earliest to provide direction to its cadre. This has led to the usual clamour from party sycophants that Rahul Gandhi be brought back to helm the Congress.

But there is also a silent majority in the party which is not only sceptical about Rahul Gandhi’s return but believes it is now time a non-Gandhi is given charge of the Congress. Besides the fact that there is growing revulsion to dynastic politics among the people, the Nehru-Gandhi scion has also failed to deliver for them. The earlier reverence for the Congress “first family” stemmed from the belief that the Gandhis kept the party united and that they were a passport to power.

Gandhis no longer as powerful

With the family charisma fading, the Gandhis are no longer in a position to hold the party together as recent developments have shown or to win elections. The Congress footprint has shrunk – the party is virtually non-existent in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand – and is struggling for survival elsewhere. Rahul Gandhi clearly lacks the Midas touch with the party registering a poor double-digit tally in the last two Lok Sabha elections.

The former Congress president also finds himself handicapped by the BJP’s high-voltage campaign caricaturing him and making him a butt of jokes. As a result, he is not taken seriously and is not seen as a worthy prime ministerial candidate.

At the same time, the Congress is haemorrhaging. The exit of several senior and prominent leaders from the Congress fold – from Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee to Jagan Reddy, Himanta Biswa, Jyotiraditya Scindia and now Sachin Pilot – shows that the presence of the Gandhis does not necessarily ensure greater internal cohesion.

But can a non-Gandhi take over?

The big question at this stage is if Rahul Gandhi should take over the reins of the party given his past record. Or should the baton be handed over to someone outside the family fold? If at all, the Gandhis do decide to step aside, it is unlikely to leave the field open to younger contenders who have the potential to eclipse Rahul Gandhi. Or entrust the reins of the party to someone who could function independently.

Sonia Gandhi has learnt a bitter lesson in this regard from her past experience when P V Narasimha Rao and Sitaram Kesari, seen to be pliable and trustworthy, showed they were no push-overs. Both were eventually given the sack. The situation today is far worse. The authority of the Gandhi family is substantially weakened. Under these circumstances, it cannot afford to hand over the party to someone who may eventually decide to fly solo.

Nevertheless, several names from outside the family have been doing the rounds. Chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Amarinder Singh are among them. Gehlot is a Gandhi family loyalist and is politically savvy while Singh has charisma. But age is not on his side. However, it is highly unlikely that the two would relinquish the chief minister’s post to take charge of the Congress.

Then, there is Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge but like Singh, his age works against him. Mukul Wasnik was a front turner for the Congress president’s post last year but the party preferred to bring back Sonia Gandhi. As a Dalit and also a loyal family retainer, Wasnik fits the bill. Digvijaya Singh has the necessary qualifications to head the party but he has blotted his copybook with his penchant for landing the party in trouble with his controversial statements. Also, he is unlikely to be sufficiently subservient or play second fiddle to the Gandhis.

Clearly, the Congress has a tough task on hand. On one hand, it has an array of leaders from outside the Gandhi family fold who could be picked for the job though they don't necessarily have a pan-Indian presence for it. On the other hand, there is Rahul Gandhi who comes with a lot of baggage. However, his lineage combined with a lack of consensus on a non-Gandhi, have put him ahead in the race.

(Anita Katyal is a Delhi-based journalist and a keen observer of domestic political developments)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.