Rahul Gandhi’s shenanigans harming Congress

Rahul Gandhi has blatantly encouraged blue blood culture in Assam. Dynastic politics, many believe, has led to Congress defeat in Assam

Rahul Gandhi’s dogs and his weakness for blue blood may have  cost the Congress dearly in the recently concluded state elections. However, in the north eastern state of Assam, which was among the five states where elections took place, the “Bangladesh factor”, so to say, also played a crucial role.  
 It was rebel Himanta Biswa Sarma, who spilled the beans and decried Gandhi’s indifference and lack of sensitivity that led to a near rout of the Congress in the elections.  
 Sarma,  who  parted ways with the Congress, was handpicked by BJP to manage the campaign for the crucial elections. He joined the BJP last year. Till then, Sarma was Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s blue-eyed boy.  
Seen as a poll strategist, he was credited to be the brain behind Gogoi’s three times win. He, however, fell through with Gogoi following the latter’s attempts to project his foreign returned son, Gaurav, as his successor. As if this was not enough, Rahul Gandhi was often seen in the company of the young kids on the block including Gaurav Gogoi and Sushmita Dev, both MPs and children of senior Congressmen. It was this Sarma was referring to, while hitting out at Rahul’s blue-blood fascination.
Rahul Gandhi, Sarma told newspersons, has blatantly encouraged blue blood culture in Assam. Dynastic politics, he said, has led to Congress defeat in Assam.
“You (Rahul Gandhi) became the Congress vice president because you are the son of Sonia Gandhi. You made Gaurav Gogoi an MP over and above the normal ‘karyakarta’ of the Congress because he is the son of Tarun Gogoi. This politics has been rejected by the people of India,” the BJP leader said making it clear that Rahul got the vice president’s post because of his blue blood.
 “This culture of concession starts from 10 Janpath and goes down to the panchayat level. As many as 34 of the 126 Congress candidates in Assam were sons and daughters of big politicians,” Sarma said.  
Sarma cautioned  Rahul Gandhi against playing God: “He is no god, and should not behave like one,” the BJP leader said.
What hit where it hurt most was the dog story. Sarma narrated it with glee. It went something like this: “One day  when I  was discussing Assam affairs with Rahul, I  noticed he was not interested. He was not even listening.  
Instead, he started playing with his dog”. After he came out of the room, Sarma told a colleague that it was impossible for him to continue in the Congress. For him it was difficult to comprehend Assam’s fate being in the hands of leaders  who prefer dogs over the future of a state and its people.
While the “pappu ka kutta” Rahul’s dog, a la Sarma, has caused a dent in Rahul’s image and reaffirmed his casual approach, the election results have put a question mark on his capabilities to steer the fledgling fortunes of the Congress Party.
The shocker is  Assam where the BJP, apart from opening an account, literally wiped out the Congress’ fifteen-year rule.
 The Congress leadership at the Centre and  state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi were blinded by power. Not only did they fail to read the writing on the wall but did not make amends when they should have.
Rahul Gandhi was misled by Gogois, both father and son, to believe that Assam was in their grip.   Letting Sarma go was perhaps a mistake that cost the Congress dearly. Had Gogoi not placed his son’s interest above the state, the story may have been different today.
The knock out punch by the BJP has not only shrunk the Congress base but has ushered in the BJP rule in the state for the first time since Independence. This is significant because the BJP,  till some years ago, was an unknown entity in the north east. It was, to put it simply, a fringe player.
 Its debut in Assam as the ruling party, may be the beginning of its growing  footprint in the region.  Therefore, the Assam defeat should be not be seen as the Congress losing merely  one state but the beginning of its decimation in the north eastern part of India.
 That the BJP played its cards right is a given. But what helped its consolidation  was its anti Bangladeshi agenda. Given that BJP’s Chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and Sarma himself are products of the student movement, the  anti-foreigners movement, aimed at Bangladeshi immigrants, is high on their agenda.  The BJP's Assam Vision Document 2016-2025 promises to protect the identity of the Assamese. A new law aimed at stopping Bangladeshi infiltrators from getting employment in the state whether in industry, business or any other agency employing illegal immigrants could be an issue.
 During its no holds barred campaign, the BJP  whipped up this sentiment. It worked to its advantage. Apart from blaming the ruling Congress for drawing Bangladeshi muslims into India for votes, BJP projected itself as a party that  would safeguard the interests of Assamese.
When,  at a recent Assam rally, BJP president Amit Shah said, "When we come to power not even a bird will be able to cross the border”, he left no reason for doubt that the BJP, would check  the influx from across the border.
 Assam's Muslim population, at 34 per cent now, grew the most for any state between 2001 and 2011 - years the Congress was in power.
 But Assam is only one part of the story. There is more and that is about the Congress shrunk presence on India’s political map. As of now, it is left with only five small states and Karnataka under its rule.
 If this is a dry run, then one cannot expect much in other states that are due for elections including the crucial states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
In the five states that went to polls, the coalitions the Congress sewed up with regional parties came to a naught. In Kerala, where it headed a coalition government, it was routed;  In West Bengal, the party’s alliance with the Left Front failed to enthuse voters;  in Tamil Nadu, its alliance with the   Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam yielded practically nothing. The Assam story, ofcourse,  is well known.
Therefore at the national level, the Congress has multiple worries: one is its clear wipe out, reminiscent of its defeat some two years ago when the grand old party was reduced to a double digit: 44 seats in Parliament. Two, its inability to prop up a leader that can steer the party out of its current crisis. Rahul Gandhi, it is clear, is a no show. Three, the reemergence of the BJP and the fallacy of the Congress campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi failing the people of India.
Therefore rather than questioning the BJP about its achche din, good days, promise it would do well  if it resurrects itself from its bure din, bad days.
It is in this context that one needs to recall a WhatsApp message, that was widely  circulated after Congress’s decimation in 2014 Parliamentary elections. It best summed up the Congress situation then, as it does now: “Dadi ko banane ka shauk tha, pote ko girane ka, grandmother, had a passion to build, grandson has a fancy to destroy.
Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother Indira Gandhi, it is well known, built both the party and the country brick by brick. As things turn out, her grandson, Rahul has set out to destroy that.

The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])

Rahul Gandhis shenanigans harming Congress

Rahul Gandhi has blatantly encouraged blue blood culture in Assam. Dynastic politics, many believe, has led to Congress defeat in Assam

Rahul Gandhis dogs and his weakness for blue blood may have cost the Congress dearly in the recently concluded state elections. However, in the north eastern state of Assam, which was among the five states where elections took place, the Bangladesh factor, so to say, also played a crucial role. It was rebel Himanta Biswa Sarma, who spilled the beans and decried Gandhis indifference and lack of sensitivity that led to a near rout of the Congress in the elections. Sarma, who parted ways with the Congress, was handpicked by BJP to manage the campaign for the crucial elections. He joined the BJP last year. Till then, Sarma was Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogois blue-eyed boy. Seen as a poll strategist, he was credited to be the brain behind Gogois three times win. He, however, fell through with Gogoi following the latters attempts to project his foreign returned son, Gaurav, as his successor. As if this was not enough, Rahul Gandhi was often seen in the company of the young kids on the block including Gaurav Gogoi and Sushmita Dev, both MPs and children of senior Congressmen. It was this Sarma was referring to, while hitting out at Rahuls blue-blood fascination. Rahul Gandhi, Sarma told newspersons, has blatantly encouraged blue blood culture in Assam. Dynastic politics, he said, has led to Congress defeat in Assam. You (Rahul Gandhi) became the Congress vice president because you are the son of Sonia Gandhi. You made Gaurav Gogoi an MP over and above the normal karyakarta of the Congress because he is the son of Tarun Gogoi. This politics has been rejected by the people of India, the BJP leader said making it clear that Rahul got the vice presidents post because of his blue blood. This culture of concession starts from 10 Janpath and goes down to the panchayat level. As many as 34 of the 126 Congress candidates in Assam were sons and daughters of big politicians, Sarma said. Sarma cautioned Rahul Gandhi against playing God: He is no god, and should not behave like one, the BJP leader said. What hit where it hurt most was the dog story. Sarma narrated it with glee. It went something like this: One day when I was discussing Assam affairs with Rahul, I noticed he was not interested. He was not even listening. Instead, he started playing with his dog. After he came out of the room, Sarma told a colleague that it was impossible for him to continue in the Congress. For him it was difficult to comprehend Assams fate being in the hands of leaders who prefer dogs over the future of a state and its people. While the pappu ka kutta Rahuls dog, a la Sarma, has caused a dent in Rahuls image and reaffirmed his casual approach, the election results have put a question mark on his capabilities to steer the fledgling fortunes of the Congress Party. The shocker is Assam where the BJP, apart from opening an account, literally wiped out the Congress fifteen-year rule. The Congress leadership at the Centre and state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi were blinded by power. Not only did they fail to read the writing on the wall but did not make amends when they should have. Rahul Gandhi was misled by Gogois, both father and son, to believe that Assam was in their grip. Letting Sarma go was perhaps a mistake that cost the Congress dearly. Had Gogoi not placed his sons interest above the state, the story may have been different today. The knock out punch by the BJP has not only shrunk the Congress base but has ushered in the BJP rule in the state for the first time since Independence. This is significant because the BJP, till some years ago, was an unknown entity in the north east. It was, to put it simply, a fringe player. Its debut in Assam as the ruling party, may be the beginning of its growing footprint in the region. Therefore, the Assam defeat should be not be seen as the Congress losing merely one state but the beginning of its decimation in the north eastern part of India. That the BJP played its cards right is a given. But what helped its consolidation was its anti Bangladeshi agenda. Given that BJPs Chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and Sarma himself are products of the student movement, the anti-foreigners movement, aimed at Bangladeshi immigrants, is high on their agenda. The BJPs Assam Vision Document 2016-2025 promises to protect the identity of the Assamese. A new law aimed at stopping Bangladeshi infiltrators from getting employment in the state whether in industry, business or any other agency employing illegal immigrants could be an issue. During its no holds barred campaign, the BJP whipped up this sentiment. It worked to its advantage. Apart from blaming the ruling Congress for drawing Bangladeshi muslims into India for votes, BJP projected itself as a party that would safeguard the interests of Assamese. When, at a recent Assam rally, BJP president Amit Shah said, When we come to power not even a bird will be able to cross the border, he left no reason for doubt that the BJP, would check the influx from across the border. Assams Muslim population, at 34 per cent now, grew the most for any state between 2001 and 2011 - years the Congress was in power. But Assam is only one part of the story. There is more and that is about the Congress shrunk presence on Indias political map. As of now, it is left with only five small states and Karnataka under its rule. If this is a dry run, then one cannot expect much in other states that are due for elections including the crucial states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. In the five states that went to polls, the coalitions the Congress sewed up with regional parties came to a naught. In Kerala, where it headed a coalition government, it was routed; In West Bengal, the partys alliance with the Left Front failed to enthuse voters; in Tamil Nadu, its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam yielded practically nothing. The Assam story, ofcourse, is well known. Therefore at the national level, the Congress has multiple worries: one is its clear wipe out, reminiscent of its defeat some two years ago when the grand old party was reduced to a double digit: 44 seats in Parliament. Two, its inability to prop up a leader that can steer the party out of its current crisis. Rahul Gandhi, it is clear, is a no show. Three, the reemergence of the BJP and the fallacy of the Congress campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi failing the people of India. Therefore rather than questioning the BJP about its achche din, good days, promise it would do well if it resurrects itself from its bure din, bad days. It is in this context that one needs to recall a WhatsApp message, that was widely circulated after Congresss decimation in 2014 Parliamentary elections. It best summed up the Congress situation then, as it does now: Dadi ko banane ka shauk tha, pote ko girane ka, grandmother, had a passion to build, grandson has a fancy to destroy. Rahul Gandhis grandmother Indira Gandhi, it is well known, built both the party and the country brick by brick. As things turn out, her grandson, Rahul has set out to destroy that. The writer is a senior Indian journalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: ([email protected])