Rahul for PM?

Dear Readers

The latest rumor in the India political sphere: the Congress is sporting Rahul Gandhi as its next candidate for the post of PM. Even though it is too early to confirm the rumors, it is quite obvious that Rahul Gandhi is suddenly a major player in the Congress. With the General elections not very far away, this doesnt seem like just a coincidence.

Until a few months ago, the controlling hand of Sonia Gandhi was usually unseen and discreet. Sonia Gandhi, alongwith son Rahul, is now becoming a more public figure, much in contrast to the earlier approach.

Priya Sahgal of India Today in an article has said, “It seems like 10 Janpath has begun work on Rahul’s leadership profile. If the Congress is to be educated about the nuclear question, then Rahul is a key speaker. When the Government had to send a representative to Beijing, it was not Manmohan Singh but Rahul and Sonia who boarded the plane to China. There he signed an MOU with the Communist Party of China. The mother and son also caught up with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and built Rajiv Gandhi’s rapport with his mother Benazir.”

I couldn’t agree more with Priya. While most countries send their heads of state, India sent the head of the Congress Party to Beijing.

Another excerpt from the article by Priya Sahgal: “Last month, Sonia had announced two new committees comprising Union ministers and party officials to draft the political strategy for the next polls. As a member of the manifesto committee, Rahul will play a key role in Campaign 2009. He may not be the prime ministerial candidate, but he certainly is the pan-Indian star campaigner. For the young scion, it is party time now.”

The Congress seem to have taken a leaf out of Barack Obama’s book, and are now operating on the principle of iconic leadership. Young Rahul seems to be the perfect poster boy for this kind of an iconic leadership. If the Congress and its allies do manage to win next year’s General election, I think Rahul will surely make the Cabinet list, if not PM.

Rahul is now doing more in the Congress than just going on Garib Yatras and Discover India tours. He gave us a glimpse of his leadership credentials at the recent trust vote, where he was one of the speakers from the UPA. And I admit, I was mighty impressed by his speech which caught the imagination of the rest of the nation as well. Videos of the speech were instant hits on YouTube, with many users expressing their approval of Rahul.

One thing is certain: Rahul will give Mayawati, who is also being touted as a strong contender for the post of PM, a run for her money. At the moment, he seems to be riding a wave of popularity among the young and old of the country alike, whereas Mayawati’s support is mostly limited to her Dalit fan following. The young man seems like a breath of fresh air to Indian politics, which is stereotyped as corrupt and incompetent and run by boring old men and women in a still developing nation. It wouldnt be wrong to call him the Barack Obama of India. But will this wave take him all the way to the ultimate position in the Indian echelons of power: the PM’s chair?

Yours Ludicrously