The 2019 election is still a long way off, but even now preparations and battle stations are being readied. Who else will stand against Rahul Gandhi?
Rahul Gandhi, the Yuvraj of Congress is now its chief and also arguably the party’s most credible and popular face to take on the Modi bandwagon. Under Rahul’s stewardship, the party put up a spirited fight in Gujarat elections and is now looking up to the Gandhi scion to restore its ‘golden era’.
However, the Congress president has his own set of challenges and internal party affairs to overcome. The party is at its worst-ever standing in Lok Sabha – a mere 44 seats, infighting and squabbles have made headlines and there is growing despair in the party over its future poll prospects.
Lifting the party out of the morass is going to be a momentous and an uphill task for the new Congress president. And, what aggravates his task is the size and extent of the challenge before him.
Sonia Gandhi enjoyed an enviable record of having Congress government for 10 consecutive years but when Narendra Modi emerged as the challenger in 2014, the grand old party fell to its ebb.
Rahul will have to find an alternative to ‘much-stronger’ Modi. Along with, he will need to fight and overcome the challenges coming from within the UPA alliance.
Rahul Gandhi is de-facto supposed to be the leader of Opposition but retaining that role won’t be easy. UPA’s key ally TMC has already shown reluctance to play second fiddle, with Mamata throwing her hat in the ring by presenting herself as the most credible alternative for the 2019 LS polls.
“Mamata Banerjee has four decades of experience in politics, she has been Cabinet minister at the Centre multiple times. She has come back with a thumping majority (in Bengal). She has experience, credibility, and credentials… After Gujarat polls, she has the best credentials to take on the BJP in 2019,” TMC chief spokesperson Derek O’Brien Mr O’ Brien told media persons on Wednesday.
Mr. O’Brien, though evaded questions on Ms. Banerjee being Prime Ministerial face before 2019 polls but said in no uncertain terms that Bengal will play an important role in the run-up to 2019 elections and also thereafter.
This is a clear shift in TMC stand. When Sonia Gandhi was Congress president, she led the opposition charge and even united all in the presidential polls against BJP.
Now, when Rahul Gandhi, the new president is gearing up for the role, TMC is putting up a major stumbling block. This is a clear challenge to the young Gandhi as well as to the efforts of the opposition parties to work together against the ruling BJP.
Interestingly, this message came a day after Mamata spoke to Patidar leaders Hardik Patel and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani over the phone and congratulated them for their “moral victory” in Gujarat.
TMC silence in Parliament
What leads to further apprehension is the silence of Trinamool in the Parliament even as Congress constantly tries to corner BJP in the Parliament over PM Modi’s remark.
Floor coordination among two biggest opposition parties has been nil in the Winter Session as TMC has largely stayed away from Congress’ repeated demand for an apology from PM Modi over his remarks against ex-PM Manmohan Singh.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) has 33 members in Lok Sabha and is the second largest Opposition party in the House after the Congress which has 46 MPs.
Balancing act for 2019 challenge
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when Modi wave demolished and flattened every opponent, TMC held the fort and managed to win 34 out of 42 LS seats in West Bengal.
Now, with less than two years to go for General elections, Congress desperately needs strong tie-ups with regional satraps including Mamata, Nitish in North and Stalin-led DMK, Sharad Pawar-led NCP in the south.
Congress has already lost alliance with JD(U), relations with NCP are under strain and with Mamata being ‘opposed’ to Rahul as ‘leader of the anti-BJP front’….there are many worries for the grand old party.
With baggage of multiple lost elections and larger-than-life figure to compete with, the challenges before Rahul Gandhi are umpteen and unnerving. He certainly has his plates full and probably has more than what he could handle.
Rahul needs not just master strategists, a battery of popular faces but also a strong political narrative to counter the Narendra Modi-led BJP.
Firstly, he will need to put his own house in order. He has the blessings of party seniors but will need to placate the dissenting voices and also trigger party’s rank and file to re-build connect with the masses. Most importantly, he will need to keep the UPA coalition intact.
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