Sonia Gandhi’s return from Italy has marked a qualitative shift in the power equations within the grand old party, signalling that the Gandhis, while continuing to represent the political leadership of the Congress, may not run for the office of the party president.
Sonia’s reported assertion that she, currently holding the post of interim AICC president, would be a ‘neutral player’ in the organisational polls, is significant. Sonia is not known to make a casual remark without weighing or measuring its likely import. In the context of the October 2022 party’s presidential polls, Sonia’s comments, in the Congress circles, are being interpreted as the following.
-Sonia, in principle, has accepted Rahul Gandhi’s May 2019 formulation, when he had resigned as the party president, that neither he, nor his family members should participate in party polls.
-More significantly, the Gandhis would not play favourites in the crucial party polls.
-The election of the 88th AICC chief may be multi-corner among Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, with the Gandhis sticking to a cliched expression, “let the best person win.”
-The clamour for Rahul Gandhi as party president has been few and far. In the past, whenever such demands had the backing of the leadership, the chorus would be louder, faster and include all 28 states, eight union territories and regional Congress units instead of four or seven states passing such resolutions of faith and loyalty.
However, given the chequered history of the party polls, Sonia-Rahul-Priyanka Gandhis’ imprints at all levels of the Congress hierarchy, terms like neutrality, free and fair polls are rather subjective and ocular.
For instance, the party apparatus has no mechanism to let the two or three contenders canvass support in an unbiased manner. In 1997, the incumbent AICC president was pitted against Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Sitaram Kesri’s men and women kept a vigil on all state units even as Pawar and Pilot criss-crossed the country. The state party chiefs, barring in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, etc, remained largely indifferent towards them. The end result was that Kesri posted an easy victory, netting over 70% of votes.
The electoral college consisting of state party delegates numbering around 9,000 is heavily tilted in favour of a leader getting the bulk of votes from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, where politically the Congress is not too strong but PCC delegates nearly cross the 50% mark. Likely contenders like Tharoor and Tewari could face a challenge in getting support from some of these states. However, this equation can change, if the Gandhis indeed turn ‘neutral’ in the spirit of the May 25, 2019 pronouncements of Rahul Gandhi.
This scenario would be rather unprecedented and historic. But before we go on to eulogise, a reality check is required. What if the one contender tries to win over the other, offering a seat in the Congress Working Committee or a weighty office at the AICC secretariat and hammers out a consensus? After all, it is an open secret that some contenders wish to fight the presidential polls to enhance their stature within the Congress hierarchy. What would be Gandhis’ role and attitude in behind-the-scenes attempts of compromise and deals?
SONIA GANDHI QUESTION
If the elections are indeed held in a spirit of fairness and by October 17, questions relating to the exact role of the three Gandhis need to be worked out in the party organisation. Rahul Gandhi may continue to be a Yatri till the 2024 general elections as another edition of Bharat Jodo Yatra from East to West or West to the East is on the cards. Priyanka Gandhi, it is assumed, shall be happy to continue as AICC general secretary, doubling up in the roles that Sonia and Ahmed Patel had played, i.e. listening to the concerns, grievances and informally acting as a peacemaker.
Would Sonia Gandhi completely withdraw from active politics? Much as she would like to do that, Congress leaders, including the new party chief, contenders and others would not let her go easily. As per them, there are compelling reasons why Sonia Gandhi should be around till at least May 2024 as a figurehead, a supreme court and consensus builder not only within the Congress Parivar but among non-NDA opposition.
In 2004 when Dr Manmohan Singh was chosen as prime minister, Pranab Mukherjee, a man for all seasons and reasons, had offered a remedy to ensure Sonia’s authority over the parliamentary wing of the party i.e. Congress Parliamentary Party [CPP]. The CPP has a separate constitution, i.e. other than the AICC constitution.
Until 2004, the CPP’s leader’s post was the highest but Clause 5 of the CPP constitution was amended to create chairperson’s post. Under sub-clause ‘C,’ the chairperson and not the CPP leaders would nominate the party leaders in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as deputy leaders and chief whips. The amended clause now reads: “The chairperson shall have the authority to name the leader of the CPP to head the government, if necessary.” This CPP chairperson’s role holds promise for both Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi too as supreme leaders of the grand old party.
