The Indian National Congress is the oldest political party in India. It is also a party of crises. In fact, the party has become synonymous with firefighting internal tussles. Instead of trying to defeat the BJP, the Congress’ entire focus is to keep its burning house in order – thus disallowing it to even think of winning elections. The party is merely trying to survive – and it is not easy. Add to that, Congress has been giving off an awful patriarchal stench of late. The performer is a woman, but the credit is being stolen, or rather, given voluntarily to a man child.
The Congress is in shambles in Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, a massive Amarinder Singh – Navjot Sidhu war has broken out, and the latter is managing to rally the entire state leadership behind him it seems. In Rajasthan too, Sachin Pilot and his faction are constantly flexing their muscles – thus threatening the Ashok Gehlot government’s stability in the state. There is a common theme in all these crisis situations which the Congress is facing – Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is trying to resolve them.
Yet, Priyanka Vadra is evidently not being given her due. Despite her concerted efforts to salvage the Congress, the over-pampered and royal man child is constantly being projected as the face of the party. Sonia Gandhi is old. Every potential leader who can constructively work towards the Congress’ upliftment is a non-Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi is a woman. So, the only remaining choice for the Grand Old Party is Rahul Gandhi – although he has recently shown an unparalleled propensity of not being able to even sit straight.
Read more: Could Captain Amarinder Singh join the BJP?
As obnoxious as this may sound, it seems to have become a fact and an accepted reality in Congress. What else explains the party’s inability to entrust Priyanka Gandhi with the highest position – that of Congress President. Have you noticed, how Priyanka Gandhi is not even a prospective prime ministerial candidate of Congress? It is Rahul Gandhi all the way – even though he has proven to be a disaster in the field of politics.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has become close to extinct. Yet, it is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is visiting the crucial poll-bound state and trying to revive ‘her’ party, despite the fact that Congress seems to be non-committal on the question of even fielding her as the chief ministerial face. In UP, it is Priyanka who is attempting to take on the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government. On Friday, she sat in a silent protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Lucknow against the state government.
She also met various farmers’ unions and discussed the three farm laws. In the run-up to the assembly polls in the state early next year, it would be Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who would be camping in the state to at least try and put up a brave fight. Yet, it is her who is sidelined by the Gandhis. Could it be because of the belief that if she were given complete control of the party, the ‘Gandhi’ title would evaporate in thin air?
In Punjab, Congress is preparing to lose an election which by all estimates, it is expected to win. All that Captain Amarinder Singh was asking for was the state unit to rally behind him. However, the Congress state unit seems to be rallying behind Navjot Singh Sidhu instead. Now, when it comes to Sidhu, it was Priyanka Vadra who played a crucial role in making him stay and not go rogue. Apparently, Navjot Singh Sidhu will now be made the Congress President in Punjab. This too, according to reports, was done at the behest of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Indira Gandhi was, back in the day, called “gungi gudiya”. It seems the party hasn’t quite been able to move past this mentality, which is why it is rallying behind a man child while his elder sister continues to hustle for the Congress.