Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the new BJP president, Nitin Navin, his boss. Everyone knows who the “boss” is in the BJP, but it must be admitted that by appointing 45-year-old Nitin Navin as president, the BJP high command has once again demonstrated its commitment to continuously innovating the party. The party doesn’t rely on the strength of old, worn-out leaders, like the Congress or many regional family-run parties. Suddenly, a name is pulled from the bag that leaves people stunned. He has been elected MLA five times and served as a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet. His election sends a message that the BJP prioritizes merit over dynasty.
The BJP has already presented new faces in states like Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Delhi. Not all have been successful, but the message is that the party is not a family fiefdom. Nitin Nabin also faces significant challenges. He must win the assembly elections in Kerala, Assam, Bengal, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu. He must contend with local sentiments in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. While some progress has been made in Kerala, it has not gained a foothold, while in Assam, after ten years, the BJP government may face anti-incumbency.
Nitin Nabin must have noticed in his Bihar that although the government was formed with a good majority, the figures are not very satisfactory. The vote share of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the BJP is almost the same as last time. RJD got 23% and the BJP got 20%. The government was formed with the support of Nitish Kumar’s JDU and other smaller parties. Depositing Rs 10,000 in the accounts of women before the elections also shows that they were not completely confident. The ED’s presence in West Bengal just before the elections also indicates a lack of confidence.
The Bihar elections further demonstrated that even the Congress, once the largest party, is not improving. They contested 61 seats and won only six. Until the end, they couldn’t decide whether to nominate Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Ministerial candidate. All decisions are made by Rahul Gandhi and his circle, which is difficult for everyone to reach. Last December, former Congress MLA from Odisha, Muhammad Makum, wrote to Sonia Gandhi complaining that despite repeated requests, he hadn’t been given time to meet Rahul Gandhi for three years. He complained that there was a lack of communication between the leadership and the rank and file. The party had lost six consecutive elections in Odisha, yet Rahul Gandhi still didn’t have time to meet the former MLA.
Many leaders have made this complaint about Rahul Gandhi. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Prithviraj Chauhan, and Shashi Tharoor are all hurt by his behavior. Azad even left the party. Assam Chief Minister Himmat Biswa Sarma once said that when he was in the Congress and went to meet Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi played with his dog instead of talking to him. Sarma left the Congress after 22 years and joined the BJP, where, as Chief Minister of Assam, he uprooted his former party from its territory. Rahul’s frequent trips abroad also indicate that he is not a full-time politician, and perhaps does not want to be one. There is a strange contradiction in his character. On one hand, he keeps away from his colleagues, while on the other hand, he mingles with the common people, as we saw during his two visits.
Even now, he’s visited the families of those who died after drinking poisoned water in Indore. This shows personal sensitivity, but as a politician, he’s repeatedly failing. Nothing hits the mark. He does his homework, raising issues, but there’s a disconnect with the people, something Mohammed Makum also complained about. Currently, the Congress is in power on its own in only three states: Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. In Maharashtra’s local elections, the Congress finished 3/4th. What’s the solution?
Can Priyanka Gandhi Vadra breathe new life into the Congress party? Recently, the word “buzz” has been used extensively regarding Priyanka Gandhi. Meaning, there’s a lot of noise surrounding her.
Priyanka’s speeches in Parliament, particularly those on Vande Mataram and MNREGA, have generated considerable discussion. She’s relaxed and doesn’t use harsh language, as is often seen in Rahul Gandhi’s speeches. Rahul is a one-track person. If he’s adamant, he’ll be. He repeatedly calls the country’s economy a “dead economy.” What’s the point? His words often reflect hatred towards others. On the other hand, Priyanka, while speaking clearly, never crosses the line. She also possesses a strong command of Hindi. Seeing her speaking style in Parliament, there’s a growing demand for her role in the party to be expanded.
In a meeting several years ago, L.K. Advani, in response to my question about Priyanka Gandhi, said, “Yes, she can win an election.” At the time, there was much talk about her looks and mannerisms resembling Indira Gandhi. She was considered the Congress’s trump card, or Brahmastra. But Priyanka’s political career didn’t have a good start. In 2020, she was appointed General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. She coined the slogan “I am a girl, I can fight,” but she failed spectacularly. Later, the Balakot strike, followed by the Pulwama attack, decimated the Congress. Only Sonia Gandhi won Rae Bareli. Rahul Gandhi himself lost Amethi.
Priyanka Gandhi also stepped away from Uttar Pradesh and is now an MP from Wayanad in Kerala. But now, a change has come. We are seeing a new version of Priyanka Gandhi. She is more mature, appears more confident, is proving herself to be a good MP, and is trying to fulfill her responsibilities well. The Congress’s problem is more fundamental. The Congress is still a feudal party run by a single family. Mallikarjun Kharge is merely a facade; all party decisions, right or wrong, are made by Rahul Gandhi. The leadership seems content with the old, loyal staff. The BJP has brought a new generation to the forefront, but the Congress is unwilling to change. At the Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, it was decided that at least half of the executive committee would be young. Yet, even today, only 12 of the 85-member executive committee are under 50 years of age.
As a result, sometimes Sachin Pilot gets angry, and nowadays Shashi Tharoor is fuming. Young, talented people have realized that Rahul Gandhi’s path to the top is blocked for them. Therefore, frustration is growing. Many, like Jyotiraditya Scindia, have left the party. One reason for the Congress’s decline is excessive centralization. The BJP is also becoming a personality-based party instead of a cadre-based one, but this is being masked because the leadership has the ability to win elections. No effort is being made to streamline the Congress organization. Rahul Gandhi says that “Congress is not just a political party, it is the voice of India’s soul.” Kharge says that “Congress is an ideology, and ideologies never die.”
What misconception is this gentleman under? When the party becomes wrapped around a family, where does ideology remain? The family’s interests become the party’s interests. Local leadership is not allowed to emerge. JDU MP Manoj Jha rightly said, “We have the freedom to vote, but there is no meaningful alternative.” Despite its many weaknesses, only the Congress party can be the center of this alternative. But to bring the opposition along, leadership requires vision and generosity, which Rahul Gandhi’s Congress lacks. This is why Priyanka Gandhi is being discussed so much.
Congress MP Imran Masood has even demanded that Priyanka be given the reins of the party. Many other leaders feel this way, but remain silent. The way Rahul Gandhi suddenly disappears has further increased the demand for Priyanka. People are fed up with Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. They want a new face and a new perspective. Since the party revolves around the family, only Priyanka can be that face. She should be given the opportunity to lead, but will she get it? Will Sonia Gandhi agree? For the upcoming assembly elections, Priyanka, an MP from Kerala, has been made in-charge of faraway Assam instead of Kerala. What is the message?
