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Four things Rahul Gandhi needs to do to show he's no loser

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Sidharth Bhatia
Sidharth BhatiaMay 04, 2015 | 17:45

Four things Rahul Gandhi needs to do to show he's no loser

Rahul Gandhi is the news flavour of the month. Till just the other day, he was being ridiculed and worse, ignored and a whole slew of jokes were being circulated about his abrupt and mysterious departure for destinations unknown for reasons never stated. But when, after 56 days, he returned and waded into the Narendra Modi government turf, the media suddenly rediscovered him.

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Young Rahul too is showing signs of doing a Ctrl+Alt+Delete on his previous stint in politics, when he was and off/on politician, switching between sudden bursts of enthusiasm and long absences from the frontlines. Post his holiday, Rahul Gandhi has – so far – been hyperactive, speaking in Parliament, addressing kisan rallies and also meeting aspiring apartment owners who are facing problems getting their properties. This last segment is important since the Congress has of late alienated the urban middle-class, which had reposed its faith in 2009 with Dr Manmohan Singh. In 2014, the middle classes switched their allegiance to Narendra Modi and the Congress needs to win them back.

Rahul has also shown an ability to land a strong punch or two with sharp comments such as “suit boot ki sarkar”, a phrase that pithily sums up the growing perception that this government is only concerned with the interests of the corporate sector and the super rich. True or not, the phrase has stickability and unless the government switches policy gears — the Land Acquisition Bill would be a good place to start – Narendra Modi will have to live with this label.

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Not surprisingly, the media has been lapping up Rahul Gandhi’s speeches and tours. For almost a year, Narendra Modi has been the only political story in the country and the media too needed a counter point — the handsome victory of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi elections provided one welcome break from the tedium of covering just person and now Rahul Gandhi has come along as another.

But, what next? Getting a burst of headlines after a burst of political activity is great but that won’t win elections. Nor will it overnight cure the Congress party of its many problems. The BJP may have got rattled and irritated by Rahul Gandhi’s interventions, but it remains in power for four more years. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, has to work on a long term strategic plan which can built upon the enthusiasm of his workers and convert the Congress into a serious electoral player.

Here are four things Rahul Gandhi needs to keep in mind as he plans the next few years for himself and for his party, which continues to be in the doldrums:

1. The Congress has structural problems: After its worst ever performance in the general elections in May 2014 and in subsequent state elections, especially in Maharashtra and Delhi, it will require more than just a few photo-ops to put it back on its feet. Rahul Gandhi, when he becomes the president of the party, will have to overhaul the organisation, allowing talent to emerge and sidelining those who are deadweights. The Congress now has too many rootless wonders in important positions — they have their place but politics requires politicians, who know the pulse of the people. He will have to rework the party’s basic structure and the forthcoming organisational elections may provide a good opportunity to do just that.

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2. Show consistency: Since he returned from his sabbatical, Rahul Gandhi has been here, there and everywhere. He spoke in Parliament and outside to different groups. He trekked to Kedarnath. He is likely to focus on the real estate regulatory Bill which has been amended in favour of builders. But will this energy last? He need not be in the public eye all the time, but the party as well as the public at large need to know that he is working continuously on important issues and is ready and willing to come out strongly whenever required. If he goes back into a shell, he will not get a third chance.

3. The media is fickle: After ignoring him for a long time, the media is lapping up Rahul Gandhi. Coverage has generally been favourable. Journalists have found merit in even simple speeches, even though he has not become a great orator overnight. But just as the media has flocked to him, it can start attacking him or drop him as fast. They might get bored of him or move on to other stories. They could come to the conclusion that he is a one hit wonder. Rahul Gandhi need not care, beyond a point, what they say, but in our media-saturated era, it helps to be in the news. At the very least, it is important for the Congress as an organisation to let it be widely known that it is preparing to take on its rivals. Transmitting this message to and through the media is critical.

4. Ultimately, it is elections that matter: All the speeches, public meetings and organisational shake up will be of no use if the party does poorly in election after election. The party’s leaders and workers will be looking at Rahul Gandhi to lead it to victory or at least put up a creditable performance in the coming elections at the state and municipal level. Sonia Gandhi faltered when she took over the party and made a series of tactical errors but all was forgiven when the Congress won in 2004. Her position became unassailable after 2009. She has been able to withstand the shock of the party’s loss in 2014; Rahul has no great success to his name (except in UP in 2004) and has to demonstrate he can deliver a victory. All his energies should now be focused on electoral battles.

The coming months will show whether this new avatar of Rahul Gandhi is yet another flash in the pan or a radical change in his personality and approach. If this is indeed the new, improved Rahul Gandhi, Indian politics is going to get very interesting from now on.

Last updated: May 04, 2015 | 17:45
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