By Liz Mathew
New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Keen to put his stamp on the Congress, Rahul Gandhi is becoming increasingly assertive in party affairs. But even admirers complain that the first time MP still very often remains aloof.
Many Congress members are excited that the youngest scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family is displaying a lot of interest in organisational work, so much so that he has started to show his impatience with archaic rules and the old guard.
“He means business, serious business,” a Congress MP who works closely with him told IANS.
Senior members of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Youth Congress who work closely with the MP from Amethi are praising him.
“In party meetings he is more assertive and exudes confidence. He is clear about his goals and wants others to be like that,” the MP added.
“Rahul seems to be keen on building his credentials. He does not want to rely on his family’s position to grow,” another source added.
On Nov 7, when Gandhi attended the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, he suggested changes to keep pace with the times.
As veteran leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh listened to him keenly, Gandhi argued passionately for changes in the party constitution and for induction of more young blood.
He urged the CWC members to deliberate changes in membership rules, demanding flexible admission norms. “He was very businesslike,” said a CWC member.
Party sources admitted that the young Gandhi’s interventions did not go down well within some of the seniors who are wary of changes. “But everyone agreed to discuss the points he had raised,” a source said.
Two of the 10 Congress admission rules framed decades ago say a prospective member has to do whatever the party says including manual work and subscribe to party journals. Gandhi argued that these should be done away with.
Even while admiring his enthusiasm, a section of Congress activists and even leaders feel that Gandhi is still reticent and does not interact with “genuine” party workers as much as he should.
Although he has been meeting young Congress leaders, many feel he needs to be more easygoing.
“His style of functioning is weird. He goes to the NSUI office but does not talk to ordinary workers. He has not able to strike a chord even with most of the staff at the Congress headquarters,” said an employee.
Another party worker felt that Gandhi appeared to form his opinions and take decisions on the basis of “peripheral information” which he said he gets from a small group of party colleagues.
And many do not appreciate Gandhi’s love for the laptop.
“Every party worker may not be able to send him email about the problems the Congress is facing in his area,” insisted a party leader, explaining the drawbacks of working like a corporate leader.
Added another worker: “The SPG (Special Protection Group) and his aides keep him away from genuine party workers. He has to be in touch with them in order to be a leader with wider acceptability.”
Gandhi recently asked young Congress leaders to give in writing their ideas and views about strengthening the party and on organisational elections.
“His decision to campaign in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly polls was taken because of that,” a MP pointed out.
The MP claimed that Gandhi had been warned by a number of people not to take up Uttar Pradesh as his launching pad. “Rahul knew the Congress did not have anything in the state. But he was convinced that if he wanted to be in national politics, he should begin from Uttar Pradesh.”
Rahul travelled extensively throughout the country’s most populous state. He failed to make any impact. But that has not deterred Gandhi from speaking out — and dreaming of better days for the Congress.