Sonia’s back, so is Cong morale

KS Tomar

Sonia Gandhi’s decision to accept the post of the interim president of the Congress may help in boosting the sagging morale of the Congressmen in the country, besides enabling them in absorbing the rude shock of humiliating defeat and even decimation in some states during the parliamentary elections in May 2019. 

Sonia reportedly succumbed to the pressure of the Congress Working Committee members, state leaders and workers across the country, which reflects her resolve to be with the party, when it needed her the most to survive the onslaught of strong BJP.

The mess within the Congress was, however, helping Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in fulfilling the ambition of making India “Congress Mukt”, though the BJP and acting president JP Nadda had changed this connotation to “BJP-Yukt Bharat”. The RSS also cautioned Modi and Shah not to become too ambitious, as it was not in favour of it.

According to political observers, the Congress party leaders and workers were happy in all states, including Himachal, over the new role of Sonia, who may guide the HPCC chief Kuldeep Rathore in finalising a strategy and fighting the BJP in the two by-elections in Dharamsala and Pachhad. Now, Rathore, senior leaders and workers hope to get clear directions from the high command, which did not exist during last four months.

As per senior Congress leaders, concerted efforts of the new Himachal Congress chief Kuldeep Rathore has checked the infighting within the party to some extent because factional leaders were gradually reconciling to the serious crisis being faced by the party. Equations of different leaders with Sonia Gandhi and her advisers will also play a significant role in rejuvenating the organisation besides check-mating dissensions. Now, all state Congress leaders face the threat of obliteration, if they fail to bury their hatchet on time.

Sources say Rathore was close to Anand Sharma and Rajni Patil, in charge, state affairs, whereas CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri enjoys the confidence of Ahmed Patel. Harsh Mahajan is considered very close to Ghulam Nabi Azad and Asha Kumari has a good rapport with Sonia Gandhi. This lobby enjoys the patronage of six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is still relevant to fight the BJP in the state. Congress Legislature Party is active and its leader Agnihotri is raising burning issues and lending full support to the HPCC chief.

Sonia Gandhi in the past had already proved her worth, when she took the party out from a serious crisis in 1998 and her refusal to become the Prime Minister had been projected by Congress as ‘sacrifice’. Former PM Indira Gandhi lost power after Emergency, but fought back and the blunders of the Janta Party, including her arrest, proved the last nail in the coffin of this “khichdi party”, which helped her to bounce back in 1980. Due to the failure of Sita Ram Kesari and Narsimha Rao, Congress men looked up to the Gandhi family and Sonia was forced to lead the organisation. 

Political analysts cite several incontrovertible reasons, which may have weighed in favour of Sonia, who has the potential to deal with the current dismal scenario in the party, which was beyond the capacity of any other leader, including Rahul Gandhi. Congress’ interim chief is acceptable to the young and the old within the party. Hence, she may be successful in restoring the order. There may be a halt to desertions, which had become a routine, as elected representatives were resigning to join the BJP.

Experts said time is running out for the party, as the Assembly elections are just round the corner in Haryana, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. They are being offered to the BJP on the platter, as state leaders were on self-destruction spree, which was being enjoyed by the top BJP leadership. State leaders had gone berserk as the high command had gone in the state of inertia. Owing to having a ship without a leader, several Congress leaders did not toe the party line on the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, which made fun of the grand old party in the eyes of workers and people.  

Congress men believe that Sonia may be able to check the warring faction leaders in states, which was pushing the pan India party towards extinction. She is also acceptable to the senior leaders of the alliance, as she had successfully handled it in the past. It is beyond the capacity of the Congress or any regional party to take on the BJP, which has got vast resources, strong party cadres and a disciplined force — RSS. There will be no mental barrier for Rahul Gandhi to work whole-heartedly with his mother and he can implement his plans, including brining forward Priyanka Gandhi, to try her luck in capturing Uttar Pradesh in 2022.

Observers believe that Sonia can work on the lost vote bank of various castes and she has the capacity and acceptance of such leaders in the state, which was missing during the Lok Sabha elections, as timely action was not taken to clinch the alliances. She may focus in the South, as there is still some scope to reverberate in future.

(Writer is a political analyst. Views are personal)