Commentary: Congress still running behind ‘Nehru family’

Shame! The Congress has failed to find a replacement for Rahul Gandhi even though several months have passed since the resignation of the Congress scion as the president of the party. The sad reality is that the Grand Old Party is still running behind the Nehru family as if the party does not have a single leader at present other than those in that family eligible to be inducted as the president. This is more than pathetic. This Congress is definitely not the Congress which was once the most powerful party in the country and which have contributed several eminent leaders to the Indian politics.

The Congress Working Committee has recently decided to ask UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to take over as the president of the party until the party elects its future president.

The explanation that has been given is that the party has to prepare for the upcoming Assembly Elections so it cannot even think of an internal election at this moment.

To an extent, that explanation is convincing. But, it is not Today or Yesterday that the president’s post has become vacant; the post was vacated by the Congress prince few days after the party suffered a humiliating defeat against the BJP led NDA in the recent General Election.

Senior leaders like Sashi Tharoor have recently appealed for the conduction of a democratic internal election for the president’s post. Who fears a democratic election? And, why? That question is very relevant here.

Earlier there was a report that veteran Congress leaders Mallikarjuna Kharge and Mukul Wasnik were shortlisted for the post of the president of the party. Why all of sudden that has been overturned? That also needs convincing answer.

As per a report, no names other than those in the Nehru family have been suggested by the sub committees appointed by the CWC to consult with its delegates and lawmakers to discuss the matter. Is that natural?

Needless to say that the disaster the Congress now faces is the after-effect of the inability of its modern leaders to promote the growth of young leaders, other than those in the Nehru family, inside the party.

The present Congress needs to do a rational introspection as early as possible. It is high time for the party to evaluate how far they has gone from its rich past. Don’t you think so?

Vignesh. S. G
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