Will the Gandhis step back? In polls for party president, an opportunity to send out a message | Political Pulse News,The Indian Express

The elections could be a chance for the Gandhis to restore the party's democratic functioning, rid it of coterie culture

Tuesday, Aug 30, 2022

					 ePaper 
					 Today’s Paper 		
								 
			
			
				
					
													
													
				
				Journalism of Courage
			
			
							
		
		
		
			
				
					HomeExplainedPolitical PulseIndiaCitiesOpinionEntertainmentLifestyleVideosSportsAudioEducationWorldBusinessTechnology					
				
					Subscribe
					Sign In
				
			
			
		
		
		TrendingUPSC KeyHealth SpecialsJio 5G by DiwaliArtemis 1 LaunchMovie ReviewsFollow AuthorsCricket			
	
	
				
					
												
			

			
				
	
				
	
	if (window.innerWidth) //if browser supports window.innerWidth
	var page_w=window.innerWidth;
	else if (document.all) //else if browser supports document.all (IE 4+)
	var page_w=document.body.clientWidth;
	//var page_w=screen.width;
	if( page_w > 1024 ) {
		jQuery(".add-left,.add-right").show();
	}else{
		jQuery(".add-left,.add-right").hide();
	}

							
			
									
					
							
	
		HomePolitical PulseWill the Gandhis step back? In polls for party president, an opportunity to send out a message		

															
								Premium
																
						
													Will the Gandhis step back? In polls for party president, an opportunity to send out a message
													
														The elections could be a chance for the Gandhis to restore the party's democratic functioning, rid it of coterie culture
															
					
											
						
														
								
									
										
											
																									
													
														 Written by 					Manoj C G
					
	 /// Story Page Editor Details //// 
	jQuery(".bulletProj").hover(function() {
	   var dividshow = '#div_'+jQuery( this ).attr( 'id' );
	   jQuery( this ).siblings("#div_written_by_parent").html( jQuery( dividshow ).html() ).show();
	   
	})
	jQuery(".editor-details, .editor").hover(function () {},function () {
	   var dividhide = '#'+jQuery( this ).attr( 'id' );
	   jQuery( "#div_written_by_parent" ).html("");
	   jQuery( "#div_written_by_parent" ).hide();
	});


	New Delhi | Updated: August 30, 2022  7:25:53 am														
													
															
													
												
												


		
		
			
				
			
		
		
			
				
			
		
		
			
				
			
		
	

											
											
														
														
														
													A Congress worker born in 1998 — the year Sonia Gandhi took over as party president — may not have seen a party president outside the Gandhi family. She may have heard about the times the party was not headed by the family, the numerous theories about how those stints were ‘disastrous’ and how only a Gandhi can hold the grand old party together. All this while, all the young Congress worker would have seen is a steady exodus of leaders — young and old, and at all levels.

Among those who have left the party include former chief ministers, former Union ministers, former state Congress presidents and office bearers — both at the national and state level.

Now, in the backdrop of another high-profile exit – that of senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad – the Congress has announced the schedule for the much-anticipated election for the post of party president.

While Rahul Gandhi is not keen to contest, he, it seems, does not want anybody from the family to helm the party either. If he walks the talk, the Congress could end up seeing a person from outside the family head the party after a gap of 24 years. In a way, it is an opportunity for Rahul to dispel the perception – one that is not without basis — that the Congress is a proprietary concern of the family.

But this is a minefield that Rahul will have to navigate deftly. The Gandhis may step aside from the leadership role and let a family loyalist take over – be it Ashok Gehlot, Meira Kumar, Mallikarjun Kharge or Mukul Wasnik. But that president, like Azad said in his resignation letter, will always be seen as a puppet on a string, and end up ruining the very purpose behind Rahul’s decision to stay out of the leadership race.

https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/gandhi-congress-president-election-8119228/

---