The Punjab Fiasco: The Gandhis On The Backfoot
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2021-09-30 01:52:45
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
The harder the Congress tries to set things right, the worse it gets for it. On a day when it managed to bring firebrand former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar on board, the thunder was stolen as the high profile Punjab PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned, putting the party's best laid plans in Punjab in jeopardy just 4 months before the elections. The turn of events in Punjab also undermines the authority of the high command, especially Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra. The Gandhi siblings were in the forefront of the rapid changes happening in some of the state units of the party. They had taken complete ownership of the revamp in Punjab. It is now clear that they bet on the wrong horse and now, both externally and internally, their ability to read political situations and take considered decisions will be questioned.
The decisions taken now will have a bearing on the very existence of the Congress. Punjab is a state where the BJP is not even in the picture (more so after the farm bills). If the high command bungles and things do not turn out the way it wants, the state might slip out of its hand. Already, several party leaders have started questioning the wisdom of having appointed Sidhu despite objections from senior state and national leaders. Capt. Amarinder Singh was most vocal and reminded the leadership that he had warned them about Sidhu. He also repeated his charge that Sidhu was not stable and unfit to head a border state like Punjab. Former PCC chief Sunil Jhakar tweeted "It's just not cricket! What stands compromised in this entire 'episode' is the faith reposed in the (outgoing ?) PCC President by the Congress leadership. No amount of grand standing can justify this breach of trust placing his benefactors in a peculiar predicament." Manish Tewari of the G-23, who had earlier questioned Sidhu's aggressive stand as his suggestions for administrative appointments were brushed aside, questioned the high command's silence over the resignation. The violence at Kapil Sibal's house after he criticized the leadership over the state of affairs in Punjab shows that the split in the Congress is now wide open.
It is becoming increasingly clear that both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra are not getting any grip on the party in the absence of organizational revamp. Their advisors are not competent enough to guide them properly. In the old guard versus new blood battle, the balance between experience and new ideas is not being struck and the old guard is being alienated in state after state as well as nationally. This does not bode well for the party. The much touted possible entry of Prashant Kishor has also been kept on hold for unknown reasons. If the Congress is to be revitalized and made strong enough to lead the opposition alliance and give the BJP a stiff fight in 2024, it needs to set its house in order and fast. Otherwise, as is already happening, leaders like Mamata Banerjee will not accept the party and Rahul Gandhi as the first choice to lead the opposition.
