This statement was unusual. It is true that the Gandhis, like all dynasts, are wary of having Rahul’s authority eroded and want no such talk to circulate. However, these rumours have long been spread and always been ignored by the Gandhis. So, why did Priyanka feel pressured to put out a statement at this point?
The difference is that this time, even members of the party are openly saying to the media that her entry was needed. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said: “Everybody from all over India wants that all members of the Gandhi family should come into politics. We want that all three of them should take leadership roles in the party (Hum chaahte hain ki teeno party ki kamaan sambhalen),” she had said. One of the Gandhis’ most loyal followers, Oscar Fernandes, said that, “Priyanka should have a more active role in the Congress” and that “another member of the Gandhi family would strengthen the party”.
Before him, former Union minister KV Thomas said that Priyanka “should come to the main arena. She should work with mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi as a team ... Priyanka is a big fighter. We have seen that in this election. Many people see madam Indira Gandhi in her. She is able to attract the people.”
It is clear that there are some and perhaps, many in the Congress, who believe that Rahul has failed. These people are not necessarily asking for an overthrow of the Gandhi family, merely that someone else among them take charge.
Why are they saying this? To know that, first let’s see what the problem in the Congress is. Till this year, the Congress was the largest political force in India.
It was only when the opposition ganged up against it, such as in 1977 and in 1989, that the Congress party conceded its majority. When the coalition failed to hold together, as it usually did, the Congress returned. It was seen as the natural ruling party of India till Atal Bihari Vajpayee put together an anti-Congress coalition that for the first time went into its fifth year.
Narendra Modi has comprehensively ended the Congress dominance of national politics. The numbers, whether vote share or seats, show that the main political force in India is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The one thing that Congress supporters could say before this year was that theirs was a pan-India party (meaning they had presence in the south and the extreme east) while others, meaning the BJP, did not.
This does not hold true any longer. In the south, the BJP actually did better than the Congress in Tamil Nadu for the first time. In North and West India, the Congress has been pushed into the position of a permanent opposition. In Gujarat, it has served in this role for two decades. In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh also, the same situation prevails, while in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, the numbers indicate something dire for the Gandhis. The BJP under Modi has revived itself in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, while the Congress, which seemed to have come alive in UP a few years ago, is not competitive any longer.
The family can no longer assume that it will naturally bounce back out of adversity as it could when Sonia Gandhi took charge 15 years ago. Today, it is clear that states lost to the BJP are unlikely to return to the Congress easily, because the BJP manages them competently.
And so, the decay of the Gandhi charisma has happened everywhere in India. The family probably accepts this because even the party is fidgeting openly.
The question is: will Priyanka make a difference? I think in opposition, the party needs an aggressive and charismatic leader, which Rahul is not. Priyanka is certainly more charismatic and better-spoken than he is and will be better for the party at this point.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (26)
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Please permit reply to 3 people who have written to me.
@Gratgy: Yes it is very unfortunate that people have resorted to lies to discredit Rahul and Rajiv for that matter. It should be possible to have strong political differences without needing to lie to make your points.
As always, good to see you having an open mind. Not many people can publicly admit to an error. Respect.
@Dipak:
You are quoting urban myths. The thing is Feroze Gandhi's family was well known and a highly respected Parsi family. It is not like he came out of woodwork where his antecedents were suspect.
@Rakib: Thank you for your very kind words.
Other than having inherited the Gandhi name - and driving strength from the "original" Gandhi, but not related in anyway - biology or philoshophy - what are Priyanka's qualifications?
NONE.
Time for Congress and that Khan/Fake-Gandhi family to implode.
@Gp65: Perhaps I was wrong, I did not know Gandhi was a common name among Parsis. You and Rakib being Gujaratis yourselves obviously know better than me. However it is quite peculiar that There seems to be a disproportionate amount of disinformation on the web on this topic.
@Gp65: You are on the dot! As usual! Some surnames, at random, common among Gujaratis of various religions including Parsis are: Dalal, Shroff, Mistry, Bharucha, Patel, Desai,Talati, Mody/Modi etc! Feroz Gandhi's father & aunt (Shirin Commissariat-who headed Civil Hospital in Allahabad) were originally from Bharuch. About men taking on mother's surname, there is also an unusual & cute example of Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyer, consulting-editor of Economic Times legally taking on his Parsi wife's (Shannaz Anklesaria's) surname as his middle name when he married her.
Dipak@Gp65: Indira's husband was Feroze Khan who had a Gujarati Pathan father and a Parsi mother who had converted to Islam. Thus Rajiv was born Muslim but converted to Parsi by Mahatma Gandhi at the request of Nehru. Indira' older son Rahiv was Feroze Khan's son while the second son Sanjiv was the son of Mohmed Yunus who in turn was also a Pathan and a nephew of the famous Khan Abdul Gafar Khan, a Gandhiji loyalist.
2nd attempt. Please allow me to respond to someone wo has written to me.
@Gratgy: If you are okay with women retaining their maiden name, then it should be fine if Priyanka calls herself Priyanka Gandhi instead of saying that she should call herself Priyanka Vadra.
Indira 's husband was born in a Parsi family to Jehangir and Rattimai Gandhi. Last names like Mehta, Gandhi which are prevalent in Gujarat are also used by Parsis (Think Pheroze Shah Mehta). As such, Feroze did not have to be adopted by Mahatma Gandhi to get the Gandhi last name. Nor does Priyanka's son need to be adopted by Rahul to get the Gandhi name. He can choose to have his mother's last name instead of father's last name.
The important thing is that the appeal for votes in the name of Indira and Rajiv's 'sacrifices' did not work in 2014 elections. So 25 years from now when Priyanka's son comes of age, it is likely to be completely irrelevant what last name he has.
@Peshawar wala: Seems like people do otherwise it was not published in ET and you were not commenting here.
@zoro: Anybody here in this country, gives a doozy what the hindus are doing?
@Parvez: Do not....'rely'...on what you have ..'heard'.. make your own informed decisions.
@C. Nandkishore: You are not alone. This has become their habit.
@Gp65:
It is perfectly okay for a girl to keep her maidenname
My wife keeps her maiden name, I have no issues with that, I never asked her nor intend to ask her to change her name since its her identity.
Having said that I am referring to the con job originally enacted by Mahatma Gandhi where he "Adopted" Indira Gandhi's husband Feroz Ghandy and changed his name to Gandhi. The Nehru clan has been encashing on this name for last 60 years and looks like they intend to en cash on it in future too.
The Congress Party is much like the US Republican Party.........lacking a credible visible head. From what little I understand, Priyanka certainly does not fit the bill.......Congress needs to pull a Modi out of the hat, if it wants to succeed in the next elections.
Priyanka Vaadra is severely handicapped due to legacy of her husband who has indulged in questionable land dealings. All her in-laws have died unnatural, mysterious deaths. People of the country would demand explanations moment she decides to enter national politics. That is why she is not allowed to play any meaningful role in national politics inspite of common con party workers.
Sir , she is Priyanka Vadra not Priyanka Gandhi and India is a so vast country that this old party's doctrines are looking obsolete so no chance of revival . The down fall of the party started during Rajiv era and since then party is in a state of despair . Death of Rajiv Gandhi brought the party to power otherwise the story of this party would have finished in 1991 .
Nehru family charisma no longer appeals to Indian electorate which consists of mostly of young people . Gandhis have been the brand front for sycophants,family retainers and corrupt coterie. Only way Congress can revive itself is by encouraging internal democracy and allowing alternate capable leadership with vision to emerge.
Gandhis are a non-issues now ...so is Congress Party ...\ The moment Snajay Jha..Manoj Tewari.. Shinghvi.. open there mouth ... all lies and deceit falls out... and we had that for 15 years... enough is enough ... It has to be Congress Mukta India for sure...
Congress is a dead party. Congress after independence changed it's stand from supporting TNT and secularism to pluralism. If Modi makes India a secular nation with the implementation of UCC on women rights things will change drastically. Next election would then be for UCC on animal and child rights. Congress gets support from radical muslims, loyal old time voters, and pluralistic persons. Priyanka will certainly help the congress image but revival is far for congress. India now need a true hardcore secular party in the context of partition and failure of liaquat-nehru pact.
Priyanka Vadhra ..no. Priyanka Chopra...may be.
@Gp65: No,..No..Nope. Priyanka and Congress Party are the answer to India's problems. Not Modi. They are the real caretakers of India.
As usual my comments have not been printed. Second time this week.
The people of India consider the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty a curse ... a cancer on India ... in the age of internet and instant information, Priyanka's resemblance with late Indira Gandhi, her fair skin and smile can not fool the people of India any more ... the people of India want a leader who is rooted to India's ethos, culture and heritage, a leader who has character, integrity and vision for the nation ... Priyanka has none ... all she knows, which constitutes a large part of her speeches to the people, is her mother brother, late father and grand mother and their so called sacrifices ... the people of India do not buy that any more ...
@Gratgy: I agree with most of your posts but not this one. It is perfectly okay for a girl to keep her maidenname.
Secondly, aboy may take his mother's last name instqd of father's - though clearly that is nit common. Example: Imran Khan's father is Hindu (last name Pal) but he took his mther Amit Khan's sister's name. Amir did not have to adopt him to give him the last name Khan.
Having said all this, all these tricks will get them nowhere.3 PMs from this family is quite enough. Congress will only rebive if it gets a rooted Congress man take charge.
It is sad that the only quality that Prianyanka as ( other than a dynast) is " charismatic and better-spoken ". Really sad day for India. I don't mind her being a leader - but what is her Policies? Stand on key Issues? her Economics? her plan for Foreign Affairs and Defence and Investments? What are they? The only things she talked about in her so called "fighter performance" in the last elections were about "sacrifices of the Gandhi family" and vague acquisitions towards Modi which boomeranged anyway because people are not fools.....nor in awe of Nehru and Indira whom these minions are milking to this day!!
Priyanka can't do anything any more. With husband and mother scheduled for life imprisonment some one has to take care of the kids. Rahul is not capable doing anything ever. He is just an idiot every one India is laughing at.
Can Priyanka save the Congress party? Nope!
Didn't even have to read the article for that.
Priyanka Gandhi? Isnt she Priyanka vadra? There is speculation that Rahul Gandhi will "adopt" Priyankas son Raihan so that he will become Raihan Gandhi so that the dynasty will continue.