CWC Meeting: The Script Never Changes
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
By Our Editorial Team
First publised on 2022-03-14 04:33:36
About the Author
The India Commentary view
View all posts by this Author
It was the same old story at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Sunday. The Gandhi family offered to "step back" but there were no takers for the move. Since 2014, after successive and crushing defeats in elections, the same script has unfolded, except for 2019 when Rahul Gandhi resigned as party chief. Since then, Sonia Gandhi has continued as the interim chief while Rahul and Priyanka Vadra have called the shots. Organizational elections have not been held despite internal rumblings, especially from the so-called G-23, a rebellious group of senior leaders who want the party to be revamped.
With few grassroots leaders, the Gandhis know that there is little threat to their position. They know that they are the glue that binds the party together and hence most leaders will not want them to go. That is why, instead of resigning and putting someone else in the driver's seat, they always 'offer' to resign, knowing full well that it will not be accepted. Also, the discussions in these meetings are fruitless and no plan is ever made for the future despite the calls for "revamping and rewiring" the party apparatus. The cosmetic changes announced in the meeting are unlikely to be effective.
But that is like burying your head in the sand. The Gandhis must realize that their poll strategy is leading the party to successive defeats and it is losing the trust of the people. The Congress needs new direction and that can only be provided by a fresh team. For this to happen, the Gandhis have to relinquish working control of the party. To avoid disintegration and factional wars, either the fresh team can come from organizational elections or can be appointed by the consensus, with the backing of the Gandhis. But without a fresh team and fresh ideas, the future of the Congress party is in danger and the sooner the party realizes this, the better for Indian democracy.
