Rahul Gandhi may be physically fit, but politics requires different stamina
Back in 2012, in the run-up to Uttar Pradesh elections, all eyes were fixed on Rahul Gandhi during one of the media interactions in Banda. The Gandhi scion had just embarked on a 4,000km road journey covering the length and breadth of the state. Rahul Gandhi, in turn, was closely observing the group of journalists, sometimes taking a glance at their shoes. It was difficult to gather what was going on in his mind, but if one were to judge a man by his shoes, his fellow Congress leaders surely needed to get ready to run the extra mile.
In April 2015, Rahul Gandhi, in his now trademark running shoes, walked placidly on his way to the Kedarnath shrine. Much to my surprise, he appeared quite fit and even outdid some of the men from the elite forces - the Special Protection Group (SPG) - tasked to protect VVIPs like him.
As his fellow trekkers struggled to keep pace with him, it was the men from his party who were gasping for breath most, not to mention the fact that some pot-bellied netas were the first to sheepishly fall behind. I looked at the steep climb ahead of me, my eyes scanning the snow-covered slope of the great Himalayas, for a desperate short-cut. Come on, you could do better, I told myself. After all, I was assigned this task by my office considering that I was fit to take the treacherous climb from Gaurikund to the holy Kedarnath shrine.
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I had the twin task of overcoming the extraordinarily adverse weather conditions as well as covering Rahul Gandhi's trek from Linchauli to Kedarnath. The weather at an altitude of 11,700 feet can be unsparing even in the month of April, but throughout the 18km trek Rahul Gandhi was visibly comfortable and at ease.
About 20 days later, a similar situation, albeit on a different terrain. It was the month of May, and the mercury soaring to 45 degree Celsius in Telangana. Rahul Gandhi had embarked on his first padyatra in the newly carved out state and a political hotspot. Even as the Black Cat Commandos maintained a strict cordon around him, eager supporters, mostly youths, enthusiastically joined the march. However, most of them struggled to keep up with him in the scorching heat.
While mediapersons chose to hitch a ride on the media van to avoid a visibly gruelling experience, Rahul seemed unnerved, even smiling and acknowledging the crowd. The 25km yatra eventually had to be cut short as other Congress leaders pleaded with him. That was two and a half years back.
Undoubtedly, Rahul Gandhi has consistently maintained his fitness levels. Recently, replying to a question by boxer Vijender Singh - why politicians did not take part in sports - Rahul said: "I do exercise, run and swim, and I am a black belt in Aikido, but [I] don’t speak about it publicly. Sports is very important for me and I spend at least an hour doing sports.” Following that statement, the world also got to see photos of him practising the Japanese martial art aikido, on Twitter.
Those who know him closely say that there is hardly a day when Rahul Gandhi would not take time out for some form of physical exercise. But it is somewhat surprising that Rahul Gandhi has not shown the same consistency in politics. Despite coming from a political family, Rahul, has been mostly known as a reluctant politician. As he finally becomes the fifth member from his family to hold the coveted post of the Congress president, he will do well to learn some lessons on the power of consistency in politics, much like physical sports.
Let's be frank, his career as a politician so far seems no major achievements and, in fact, is full of glaring fault lines, despite persistent cover-ups by Congress leaders who are mostly accused of being Gandhi stooges. Things, however, have of late started to look up for the new Congress president. But his new avatar, which is leading the campaign in the ongoing Gujarat elections, isn't enough to decide if he has finally found his mojo. The Gujarat Assembly election results will, in a way, decide whether Rahul Gandhi's short innings is worthy of winning the entire match or not.
With all eyes once again fixed on Rahul Gandhi, he will have to repeat his recent performance in the Assembly elections scheduled next year and, most importantly, in the winter session of Parliament.