Congress turns setback into gain

It took only a few minutes for the Gandhis to walk in and out of the Patiala House courts on Saturday afternoon. In those few minutes, the Congress seemed to have scored a political victory, consolidating its position and turning an adverse situation to its advantage.

Political drama and speculation over the past few days, on whether Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul would not seek bail and rather go to jail, ended as the leaders walked out of the court amidst cheering by loyalists and supporters.

That the Congress was all set to turn this into a political battle became evident as the party began stalling proceedings in Parliament. It also garnered support from the JD(U) and other non-BJP outfits, like the Trinamul Congress. A BJP functionary, while talking about the case, felt the party had to go “on the defensive on the issue and make it clear that the BJP had nothing to do with the Herald case”. The Congress, however, was determined to make this legal battle look like a political witch-hunt.

As expected, after getting bail, Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi came out guns blazing against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, subtly accusing him of targeting the Opposition. The BJP hit back, saying that the accused Congress leaders were behaving like “freedom fighters”. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “We do not want to comment on what happened inside the court but we would like to speak on comments made and drama done outside. There is always a fight against corruption but this is the first time in the country’s history that we can see this fight for corruption, that too in a very shameful manner.”

The Congress’ spin doctors were of the opinion that the entire case might just help the party, particularly Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi, garner “sympathy”. The Congress, as the Bihar results have shown, has been on a revival mode. The main battle will now be fought in Uttar Pradesh during the forthcoming Assembly polls.

The Congress leaders, including the Gandhis, looked and behaved like martyrs as they walked into court, smiling and waving. Their body language exuded confidence. The Herald case will go through various stages till it reaches its logical conclusion. “And at every stage, the Congress will try to score political points and play the victim,” a party functionary said.

As for the BJP, after the Bihar rout, the party is on the backfoot. Politically, the party cannot afford to offer the Congress a “handle to bounce back”, a BJP functionary felt. The BJP is also aware that “arresting the Gandhis could go against the government, even if it has nothing to do with the Herald case”.