G18 vs. Gandhi: Many of us must have heard that Congress will be revived once again as it is a party that fought for India’s independence. Although Congress’ larger than life contribution in gaining independence is a debatable issue, the legacy of Pre-Independence Congress and that of leaders like Sardar Patel is what kept Congress afloat, and the Nehru-Gandhi family managed to stay at the helm of affairs.
To add on, the Congress party we see today is the one formed by Indira Gandhi after consigning the original Congress to the dustbin in 1969. The new Congress was surviving on mediocrity rather than on merit and then, the political overhaul in 2014 cornered the ‘grand old party’.
It might shock a few of you, but the rebel group of G23 having lost five of its prominent members has now become G18. Namely, the four who quit the party, Azad, Sibal, Jitin Prasada, Yoganand Shastri and Vivek Tankha who flew back to the loyal camp and was later appointed to Rajya Sabha.
Now, Rahul Gandhi is trying to establish the people to people connection through his Bharat Jodo Yatra. But, the early signs have already established that it’s not Bharat Jodo but Bharat Todo Yatra. Congress’ next step- the presidential elections will further inch this party towards extinction.
Congress gears up for ‘Prez Polls’
Congress is gearing up for its first presidential elections in the last 22 years, and two non-Gandhi candidates have thrown their hats in the ring- MP Shashi Tharoor and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.
Gehlot has shown trust in Gandhi’s leadership and has advocated for the Gandhi scion, Rahul Gandhi’s name for the presidential post. However, analysing the circumstances, he might file his nomination by the end of September.
After meeting Sonia Gandhi and getting assured of neutral polls, it is being expected that the Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, will be the other candidate. Reports suggest that Tharoor went to get a green signal from Sonia Gandhi to run for the party President.
Nominations for the election are expected to be held from Sept 24 to Sept 30, and the elections will be held on October 17.
What does Sonia Gandhi’s neutral stand mean?
Sonia Gandhi has asserted that she would be a ‘neutral player’ in the polls. The reason why it is significant is because Sonia Gandhi, despite being a political nobody, never says a word without weighing its implications. It also signals that Sonia might have accepted her son’s demand for a non-Gandhi party head, or has Sonia Gandhi succumbed to the G-18 pressure.
Congress has been run by a family for decades. In this election also, the two candidates opposing each other belong to different camps. Gehlot, on one side, is a Gandhi loyalist and Tharoor is a member of the G18 club, who is still pushing for reforms. Gandhis have maintained themselves at the helm of affairs by imposing a needless hierarchy, and phrases like free, fair, and neutral have no place in their dictionary.
Also Read- Azad is only the beginning…
A look at history
Gandhis have a checkered history, and it is difficult to believe that they will not play favourites this time. This party has no mechanism to ensure that two or three contenders can canvass support in an unbiased manner.
For instance in 1997, Sitaram Kesri won the internal elections by defeating his opponents Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. It was obvious as Kesri had the support of the Gandhi camp within the camp, who kept a vigil on all state units. Pawar and Pilot had accused Kesri of using his influence to stack the voting list.
Can this be repeated once again?
This time, state units of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Haryana have already passed resolutions backing Rahul Gandhi for the presidential post. Will the Gandhis’ scion take charge? Or will there be an open fight between the G18 and the Gandhis, this only time can tell.
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