Keep It Up Rahul

For the first time, I admire Rahul Gandhi for watchfully seeing writings on the wall and remaining firm om his decision to relinquish Congress top post. He also deserves kudos for suggesting a non Nehru-Gandhi family member as party boss ruling out any room for his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to succeed him. Raga was,so far, known for dithering. Congress leaders are known for their dubious stand and more often than not, change colors but one hopes, Raga this time stick to his decision and Nehru-Gandhi family take a break from leading the grand old party,

There is no denying that need of the hour is that Congress choose a leader from amongst the lower middle class who can match prime minister Modi strategically-crafted image of lower middle class and poor's messiah, the image Indira Gandhi donned for long. In India, the middle class and lower strata of the populace form the bulk of mandate and swing from them decide the election outcome. The solid support of these groups to PM Modi is BJP greatest asset.

In seventies and eighties, Congress, by and large, drew its strength from lower middle, lower and poor men, In those days BJP or its earlier incarnation Jan Sangh was tagged as, 'Bania' (trader) party. Added to this stigma was the communal tag. At one time BJP and its mother. RSS was accused as riot tormentors and people, by and large, believed. It dented saffron parry image for long and Congress cashed on it.

But the scenario changed After Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed the govt with , non-Hindu centrist and socialist parties like JDU, Mamata Banerjee TMC, Jayalalitha AIADMK. Saffron Party was forced to keep the Hindutva alliance in abeyance. It was revived later when BJP won a clear majority on its own in 2014. The intervening period allowed BJP to gain more acceptability and win over the confidence of those classes, who were, so far, apprehensive of saffron agenda. And. finally. the rise of "chaiwala" Modi, whom a large section of Indian masses see an image of messiah, has uprooted the socialist and centrist from the center stage.

The point to drive home is that Congress can't upstage the BJP as long as it is headed by dynastic hierarchy. Sonia Gandhi and her siblings are not seen by Indian masses as messiah as Indira Gandhi was adored. Despite graduating in politics Rahul is still seen as " Pappu" and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as more Italian than Indian her resemblance to Indira Gandhi notwithstanding. Raga as Congress chief was also surrounded by the pseudo advisers nd rootless leaders (Anand Sharma is one of many). Indian demography has drastically change. The Young Skilled India look much beyond dynastic politics.

Congress, as of today.needs drastic crafty image building to win back its mass support and only a charismatic leader, if not matching prime minister Modi's image, a runner-up will do. And such a leader has to be from amongst the common man, Its time GOP value the contribution of it workers and start a process of electing top leader in a true democratic fashion.

(Chander Sharma)