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Can Rahul Gandhi sustain this new avatar?

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Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Kumar Shakti ShekharMay 13, 2015 | 20:41

Can Rahul Gandhi sustain this new avatar?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes a year in office on May 26 and his performance is being closely scrutinised. On May 16, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi completes a month of his return from the much talked about 56-day sabbatical. The changes, if any, in the Congress leader have become a matter of scrutiny as many claim he is a changed man today, after what is being called a Vipassana retreat.

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Rahul’s absence for eight weeks, that too at a time when the crucial Budget session of Parliament was in progress, had put the Congress on the defensive. They were at a loss whenever the BJP leaders took jibes at the Nehru-Gandhi scion’s conspicuous absence. Congress spokespersons seemed to be defending the indefensible when social media went aflutter with Thailand jokes.

When Rahul did return, there were apprehensions about the manner in which he would defend his sabbatical. He did not say a word. On April 18, he met farmers and the next day he addressed a farmers' rally at New Delhi’s Ramlila ground. The speech was average, but the change had begun to unveil itself.

And then came Monday, a day which will be remembered more by BJP leaders than by the Congressmen. Not much hope was pinned on Rahul when he rose to speak in the Lok Sabha on agricultural issues. One expected him to repeat the same 'Kalawati-type' story punctuated with 'Bhaiyya', ventilate his angst and coarse his throat. But lo! Nothing of the sort happened. No repeated rolling up of the super white-medium starched kurta sleeves either! It was a short but emphatic speech. And there was something missing about his repertoire till that day - the newfound humour and sarcasm. This was a makeover.

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He took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a personal level. Throwing barbs at him, he called his government a “suit-boot ki sarkar”, stunning the treasury benches, who seemed to have got caught off guard. He was referring to the monogrammed pinstriped suit, which the PM wore during his meeting with US President Barack Obama. The phrase has now caught the imagination of one and all.

Yes, that was the third new element in the new Rahul. Turn of phrase. Or jumla if you will, thanks to Amit Shah. Rahul had turned the tables on Modi and the BJP. He took a jibe at the PM’s “achhe din” catchphrase, coined in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. Jibe for jibe, he repeated addressed the treasury benches by referring to Modi as “your PM”.

He did not stop at that. Just a couple of days after that, he was at it again in Parliament. On this occasion, he was making an intervention on Net Neutrality. He spoke about Obama’s eulogising piece in a magazine. He said such praise was heaped by a US president on former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev for “helping the US”.

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The BJP leaders apparently could not grasp the left-handed compliment delivered by Rahul to Modi. The Congress vice-president had taken on Modi in the latter’s style – by getting interactive, asking questions and evoking response. While Rahul had hardly delivered half-a-dozen speeches in Parliament till the 15th Lok Sabha, he had already made two impressive ones within a span of three days.

Rahul has maintained his newfound humorous-cum-sarcastic style. On Tuesday, while speaking again on the land Bill in Lok Sabha, he thanked the BJP members for turning in large numbers to listen to what he had to say. Being sarcastic, he said, “Some of you were shopping, while others were eating lunch. But all came running. I’m feeling good.” There were catcalls by the BJP members while Rahul spoke. But he did not get agitated. He would urge them to stand up and speak. He repeated his “suit-boot ki sarkar” jibe and said he would not allow such a government to run. That he would oppose the land Bill on the streets, if it gets passed in Parliament.

I spoke to a friend in the BJP to understand just how they saw the new Rahul. The senior leader admitted there was a perceptible change in Rahul’s “style”, a result of the "excessive meditation" during his 56-day absence. Rahul has become outspoken now. In a lighter vein, he said Rahul’s script writer and PR agency seem to have changed. They now give him one-liners to shoot and scoot and, thus, remain in news. I also spoke to a senior Congressman, but then Congressmen don’t look at the family as objectively. I am keeping his comments aside.

The Congress leaders now have a reason to cheer. But the moot point remains - will Rahul be able to sustain his new image, his new avatar?

Last updated: May 13, 2015 | 20:41
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