Congress needs to rethink leadership

The Congress Party, specially its effective leader Rahul Gandhi, who in the absence of his mother and party chief Sonia Gandhi for a considerable time now should have offered comments on the Congress’ crushing defeat in Uttar Pradesh that were more considered. That was the way to carry conviction.

Although the polls were held in five states, it was UP that mattered above all in light of its impact, specially for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, and the obverse — the Opposition in Indian politics, particularly the Congress, which in every sense of the word remains the nation’s main Opposition party not only due to its ideology of inclusiveness but its important history.

But the Congress leader was short on introspection. He dismissed the draining battle in UP with the flick of a hand when he said his party was “a little down” in UP, although it did very well elsewhere.

This may be all very well for self-preservation but not for the purposes of introspection that may lead to clarity. Everyone has heard of structural and organisational changes before. It is this old hat Mr Gandhi promises. Even when a captain offers to put in his papers, he offers leadership. The Congress vice-president should try it.

There is an understandable sense of shock among many Congress leaders who are Mr Gandhi’s contemporaries. The slackness shown by the Congress in doing what it takes to assume the reins of power in Goa and Manipur, where it was the leading party in the recent elections, has quite rightly caused chagrin within party ranks and even some anger. But the basic frustration, it should not be forgotten, is with the disastrous result in UP.

Without losing time, the Congress would do well to call a conclave of senior leaders, not just the CWC yes-men, even in its extended version. This should include the parliamentary wing, at the Centre and the states, and the organisational — meaning it should be just short of an AICC conference, which can follow later.

The key item on the agenda should be what to do with the leadership. Mr Gandhi would have made a contribution to democratic politics if he presented a forceful analysis of what happened in the recent elections. And it is also time that he stops calling up his sister Priyanka each time he is going to be out of commission. The family aspect of the Congress is not the cause of the crushing defeat, which has many causes. But it gnaws at the credibility factor overall.

Can the Congress survive without the Gandhis? The answer is an evident “no”. Therefore, the Gandhis must find a different idiom of leadership — perhaps turn into something akin to a “constitutional monarchy” for the Congress family.