In organization Priyanka Gandhi is seen as aggressive and extrovert as against her brother Rahul Gandhi, who is introvert and a man of few words. Under the prevailing situation in which the BJP has captured vast swaths of political field, there is feeling in the party that Priyanka Gandhi would be able to counter the saffron brigade. Her performance in December winter session of Lok Sabha was an indicator in this direction writes senior journalist M Hasan.
Lucknow, January 1: With Wayanad Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi likely to take dip into holy water of Sangam in Prayagraj on Makar Sankrant (January 13), the party is all set to launch her in new role on the occasion to galvanize the organization in the run-up to major electoral battles in 2026. There are also reports that like her grandmother late Indira Gandhi in 1970s when she was out of power, Priyanka following “soft Hindava” will visit some prominent temples to offer prayers.
The quite and well-deliberated move is being watched curiously in political circles in the country. She is likely to head high-powered central election management committee along with second in command position of “working president” of the AICC. Thus, moves are afoot for her final coronation as president of the Congress once present incumbent Mallika Arjun Kharge relinquishes the post before next Lok Sabha election in 2029. But she is unlikely to be in prime ministerial race as the party has planned to project leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for this purpose.
Despite the BJP claiming “rift between the two”, there is perfect chemistry between “brother and sister” in dealing with the situation. Mother Sonia Gandhi has reportedly given go ahead to the rejuvenation plan by giving bigger role to Priyanka Gandhi. This seems to be on the line with the BJP which recently appointed youth face of Bihar Nitin Nabin as working president to succeed JP Nadda.
While there are also report of inducting Swaraj Party chief and election management Guru Prashant Kishore into the party to assist Priyanka Gandhi in her election management committee, it is not yet clear in what position he would be taken into the organization. Priyanka has already held one round of meeting with him. Sources said that Congress wanted merger of his Swaraj Party as first step to initiate process for a major role for him. In the past when such move was taken Kishore had demand post of the working president but it was not accepted.
In view of forthcoming elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in 2026 and then “mother of all battles” in UP in 2027, the Congress is in a hurry to finalize the elevation plan for Priyanka. Since both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are not comfortable with AICC organizational general secretary KC Venugopal and Sonia Gandhi too has developed reservation against him, the Kerala leader’s departure from the helms of affairs is forgone conclusion. There is also disenchantment against Venugopal among the leaders because of centralization of power. The AICC general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh too had raised this issue when he demanded “decentralization” of the party functioning. There is feeling in the party that “Diggi Raja” had “go ahead” of Gandhis about his statement. Various names like former chief minister of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Patel respectively and Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Sasikanth Senthil are in circulation as replacement of Venugopal. But since major electoral battle is largely in the north and the east India, Patel and Gehlot seem to be front runners. Sources said that leadership wanted a person in this position who could properly guide Priyanka Gandhi in her new role.
In organization Priyanka Gandhi is seen as aggressive and extrovert as against her brother Rahul Gandhi, who is introvert and a man of few words. Under the prevailing situation in which the BJP has captured vast swaths of political field, there is feeling in the party that Priyanka Gandhi would be able to counter the saffron brigade. Her performance in December winter session of Lok Sabha was an indicator in this direction. She could be projected as “women power” to take on the NDA which had been largely benefited from this segment in just concluded Bihar election.
Apart from Priyanka’s speech during the Vande Mataram debate, her address to the House during the debate on VB-G RAM G Bill, her meeting with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari about her constituency following a light-hearted exchange in the House; and a joke she shared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the customary post-Parliament session tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have added to the buzz around her. The Congress had sent Priyanka Gandhi to attend the function.
The Gandhi siblings have been seen backing each other. In fact, before the much-talked-about Vande Matram debate, Rahul said, “Priyanka ka bhaashan sunna (listen to Priyanka’s speech)”. On her part, Priyanka, the elder sister, regularly defends Rahul against the BJP’s political attacks. She responded to the questions surrounding his ongoing trip to Germany. “(Prime Minister) Modiji spends almost half his working time outside the country. Why are they raising questions on the Leader of the Opposition travelling,” she told journalists outside Parliament. Rahul Gandhi has been an MP for over two decades now, Priyanka Gandhi was elected to Lok Sabha for the first time in the general election last year.
(M Hasan is former Chief of Bureau Hindustan Times Lucknow)
