Opinion
Loyalty that ends when polls are done and dusted
Summary
- Congress leaders are aware that leaving Amethi may send the wrong message, which is why they claim that the Gandhi family’s relationship with Rae Bareli is decades older than the one with Amethi.
I had said earlier that shahzada will lose Wayanad and start looking for a second seat. His supporters were saying he would come to Amethi. But shahzada was so scared of Amethi that he fled to Rae Bareli. These people tell everyone Daro mat. I tell them Arey daro mat, bhago mat (don’t be scared, don’t flee)," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at an election rally, tongue in cheek, and added, “I had also said that their top leader will run away; she ran away, she left Uttar Pradesh and contested the elections from Rajasthan."
The Congress party itself has given Modi the opportunity to poke fun at Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Since late Thursday, there were indications that Rahul could be contesting from Rae Bareli and Kishori Lal Sharma, also known as K. L. Sharma, from Amethi. Sharma is the secretary of the All India Congress Committee and has spent the past 30 years “working" in the Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies on behalf of the “family".
Also read | Is Bihar casting its vote or voting back its castes?
For those who are unaware of his background, he is originally from Punjab, but as a permanent representative of the family, he maintains strong links with the workers of both parliamentary constituencies. According to the Congress, K. L. Sharma is the most suitable candidate for Amethi and will defeat Smriti Irani.
Democracy can
Is this possible?
Nothing is impossible in a democracy. If Rajnarayan could defeat Indira Gandhi in 1977 and Smriti Irani could clean-bowl Rahul Gandhi in 2019, it is best not to say anything till the results are announced. However, there is a significant contrast in the “face value" of Smriti Irani and K. L. Sharma. Sharma works in the background, whereas Smriti is quite aggressive. This fight does not appear to be even at the moment.
Also read | Deafening silence on climate issues at this election
Why did the Gandhis abandon Amethi?
Perhaps Congress leaders thought that if Priyanka and Rahul fought elections from neighbouring constituencies, allegations of nepotism would only grow against them. If they win, the siblings will feel at ease in the House, but the Opposition and critics would have the opportunity to draw comparisons. The Gandhi family is alert to this. Their roles are clearly delineated. This is why symptoms of family disharmony appeared only once—when Maneka Gandhi left 1, Safdarjang Road following the untimely death of Sanjay Gandhi. Since then, Maneka and son Varun have taken distinct political routes from Rahul and the family.
Congress leaders are aware that leaving Amethi may send the wrong message, which is why they claim that the Gandhi family’s relationship with Rae Bareli is decades older than the one with Amethi. Feroze Gandhi won from Rae Bareli in 1952, then Indira, followed by Sonia, and after she assumed a less active role in day-to-day politics, Rahul has stepped up to carry on the legacy. Prominent Congress leaders and his entire family gathered to support Rahul’s nomination. Workers from the Samajwadi Party joined him in a show of solidarity.
Also read | Has ECI taken the colour off India’s poll campaigns?
There’s also the question of how much the Congress will benefit if Rahul wins. The party is contesting on 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh, but do you remember the names of even five of its candidates? Congress is already in a dire situation in the state. Priyanka Gandhi was the party’s general secretary in-charge of the state during the last assembly elections. Congress fought a total of 398 seats, but how many did it win? Only two.
Rahul may encounter another problem in the coming days. He promised in Wayanad that people there were his family, and that he would not ditch them. But today in Rae Bareli, he is batting for legacy. If he wins both the seats, which one will he abandon? If he leaves Kerala, he will be disregarding those who helped him win during an adversity. The same would happen if he left Rae Bareli.
Also read | The season of Sun Tzu’s ‘deceptions’ is on in full swing
Another fact worth noting here is that in Kannauj, Akhilesh Yadav fielded his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav. I’m not sure why, but his thinking changed within two days, and he himself entered the electoral fray. Did he realize that the Gandhis were about to say goodbye to Amethi this time? Even if both Rahul and Akhilesh are declared winners, Akhilesh Yadav will continue to be Uttar Pradesh’s most visible representative in the Lok Sabha. This will boost his political profile. We must remember that Mayawati had once made excellent use of her Lok Sabha membership.
A cautionary note: In the realm of politics, the voter’s choice reigns supreme. If Congress secures power through its alliance, all these conjectures will cease. History often overlooks the flaws of the victors. Do you anticipate a similar outcome this time?
Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
