New Delhi: Nine years after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi announced his entry into politics, all eyes are now on him as the country gets ready for the 16th Lok Sabha elections. While a large section of the Congress wants him to be named the party's prime ministerial candidate, his rivals say he is not fit be a leader.
Rahul Gandhi was appointed the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on September 24, 2007 in a reshuffle of the party. In November, 2008 he handpicked 40 people to constitute the Indian Yputh Congress think tank. In May, 2009 he led the Congress revival in Uttar Pradesh where the party won 21 Lok Sabha seats. On January 19, 2013, Rahul Gandhi formally took charge as party Vice President.
He has portrayed himself as a uniter of the country and condemned "divisive" politics in India, saying that he would try to reduce caste and religious tensions. The Congress might project him as its prime ministerial candidate keeping in mind:
He has a youthful image
He has no challengers within the Congress to his leadership
He is ready to accept mistakes
He made an effort to bring internal democracy in the youth Congress
He doesn't appear to hanker for power
He took a public stand against the ordinance shielding convicted MPs
The most pivotal strength is his family surname
However, the criticisms Rahul faces are:
He has been unable to deliver in key states, including UP
His administrative skills are untested
He appears raw and inexperienced in his public speeches
He has mostly remained non-communicative in the last 10 years
His poor performance in Parliament
He hasn't taken up on a sustained basis
Family surname can be a weakness at times also
The Lok Sabha MP from Amethi had also come under fire for some out of the box statements and moves:
Rahul had said, "Dalits must have the escape velocity of Jupiter."
In September 2013 Rahul rejected the government's decision to issue ordinance that helps convicted leaders. Rahul said, "The ordinance should be torn and thrown away."
In August 2013 he said, "Poverty is just a state of mind. It does not mean the scarcity of food, money or material things. If one possesses self-confidence, then one can overcome poverty."
In November 2011, he courted controversy during a rally when he asked the people of UP to stop migrating and 'begging' in Maharashtra. "Till when you will go begging for jobs in Maharashtra and Punjab," he said.
In August 2011 he wanted the Lokpal to become a constitutional body. "Don't agree with the view that one Lokpal Bill will end corruption," Rahul had stressed.
In May 2011 he misled the nation on alleged rape and killings at Bhatta-Parsaul in Greater Noida. Rahul said, "There is a set of 74 (mounds of) ashes there with dead bodies inside. We can give you pictures. Women have been raped, people have been thrashed."
In April 2007 Rahul had boasted about the accomplishments of the Gandhi family saying, "When my family decides to do anything, it does it. Be it freedom struggle, division of Pakistan or taking India to the 21st century."
In March 2007, he had claimed, "Had Gandhi family been there in politics (at that time), Babri Masjid demolition would not have taken place."
It is expected that the Congress will announce Rahul's role for the upcoming general elections in the AICC meeting on January 17.
However the immediate challenges Rahul faces is the rising popularity of the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the debutant political party, the AAP.
In 2004, Rahul Gandhi had won from Amethi and had retained the family stronghold with a margin of over 100,000, but it seems it won't be that easy for him this time with AAP leader Kumar Vishwas openly challenging him by saying that he will contest from the same constituency.
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