RaGa On Song, Leads Oppn Chorus
All Set To Spearhead Fight Against Modi In 2019 Polls
Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com 12.12.2018
Rahul Gandhi has referred to the ‘Pappu’ barb, which BJP uses to target him, on a couple of occasions in front of Narendra Modi, only to evoke laughter from the Prime Minister. On Super Tuesday, Congress’ performance under Rahul would have had the saffron camp eating its words.
The comprehensive Congress victory in the Hindi heartland over BJP established Rahul as the leader of Congress; coincidentally, exactly a year after he took over the mantle from mother Sonia Gandhi.
Congress’ win in the BJP forts of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is a political watershed in the ‘Modi era’. It marks not only the arrival of Rahul — ever under pressure for his earlier failures to produce results — but also catapults a down-in-thedumps Congress right to the head of the opposition pack.
For Rahul and Congress, there appeared no respite as just two wins out of 24 since 2014 raised questions about their ability to take on the aggressive, resourceful and polarising election machine that BJP has become under Modi and Amit Shah. And “secular” regional players till Tuesday fancied their chances in the leadership stakes as they consistently showed better acumen and appetite to confront BJP.
But counting day virtually pressed the reset button for Congress, as partymen across the country heaved a sigh of relief when the favourable results flashed on TV screens.
A revitalised Congress, ready to go toe to toe with the Modi-led BJP, brings a strong advantage to the opposition. Besides consolidating the anti-BJP vote, which includes minorities among other sections, it puts a proven national player at the helm and helps pre-empt BJP’s strategy of framing the 2019 battle as ‘Modi vs instability’.
Rahul has earned credit in the process. Personally, he led the gamble to target Modi on the ‘credibility’ front, pitching Rafale, demonetisation and GST as poll issues against the counsel of senior colleagues who believed these would help Modi.
At the same time, Rahul was undeterred by repeated defeats and continued to challenge Modi in an acerbic tone, which experts and colleagues said only boosted the PM’s profile with people. The general belief was that attacking Modi was counter-productive.
Having set the template and the tone for taking on BJP, the victories just ahead of Lok Sabha elections will leave no doubts about Rahul and Congress leading the opposition alliance in its fight against Modi in 2019.
POSTERBOY AT LAST: Cong workers celebrate in Kolkata on Tuesday
Outcome could revive CPM push for Lok Sabha pact with Congress
The impact of Congress’ victories go beyond party lines and may strengthen the hand of CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury who has consistently been backing Rahul Gandhi, and as a consequence often been identified with an “unpopular” secular leadership. There has emerged a vertical division within the CPM over whether or not to align with the Congress in taking on communal forces. The Prakash Karat faction has undercut a push for alliance by citing repeated Congress defeats over the four years as why such an alliance would be a self-defeating proposition. While Yechury has forged a close understanding with Rahul Gandhi, the Congress defeats have generally been seen as weakening his argument for an alliance. The timely Congress victories over BJP just four months ahead of Lok Sabha polls are seen to have delivered an ace to Yechury to revive his push for an electoral understanding with Congress. The primacy of fighting communal forces would gel well with the evidence that Congress has in it the appetite to defeat a Modi-led saffron camp.
In fact, CPM-aligned groups have already started arguing that the party’s failure to join hands with Congress in Madhya Pradesh has helped BJP win in over five constituencies. TNN
All Set To Spearhead Fight Against Modi In 2019 Polls
Subodh.Ghildiyal@timesgroup.com 12.12.2018
Rahul Gandhi has referred to the ‘Pappu’ barb, which BJP uses to target him, on a couple of occasions in front of Narendra Modi, only to evoke laughter from the Prime Minister. On Super Tuesday, Congress’ performance under Rahul would have had the saffron camp eating its words.
The comprehensive Congress victory in the Hindi heartland over BJP established Rahul as the leader of Congress; coincidentally, exactly a year after he took over the mantle from mother Sonia Gandhi.
Congress’ win in the BJP forts of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh is a political watershed in the ‘Modi era’. It marks not only the arrival of Rahul — ever under pressure for his earlier failures to produce results — but also catapults a down-in-thedumps Congress right to the head of the opposition pack.
For Rahul and Congress, there appeared no respite as just two wins out of 24 since 2014 raised questions about their ability to take on the aggressive, resourceful and polarising election machine that BJP has become under Modi and Amit Shah. And “secular” regional players till Tuesday fancied their chances in the leadership stakes as they consistently showed better acumen and appetite to confront BJP.
But counting day virtually pressed the reset button for Congress, as partymen across the country heaved a sigh of relief when the favourable results flashed on TV screens.
A revitalised Congress, ready to go toe to toe with the Modi-led BJP, brings a strong advantage to the opposition. Besides consolidating the anti-BJP vote, which includes minorities among other sections, it puts a proven national player at the helm and helps pre-empt BJP’s strategy of framing the 2019 battle as ‘Modi vs instability’.
Rahul has earned credit in the process. Personally, he led the gamble to target Modi on the ‘credibility’ front, pitching Rafale, demonetisation and GST as poll issues against the counsel of senior colleagues who believed these would help Modi.
At the same time, Rahul was undeterred by repeated defeats and continued to challenge Modi in an acerbic tone, which experts and colleagues said only boosted the PM’s profile with people. The general belief was that attacking Modi was counter-productive.
Having set the template and the tone for taking on BJP, the victories just ahead of Lok Sabha elections will leave no doubts about Rahul and Congress leading the opposition alliance in its fight against Modi in 2019.
POSTERBOY AT LAST: Cong workers celebrate in Kolkata on Tuesday
Outcome could revive CPM push for Lok Sabha pact with Congress
The impact of Congress’ victories go beyond party lines and may strengthen the hand of CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury who has consistently been backing Rahul Gandhi, and as a consequence often been identified with an “unpopular” secular leadership. There has emerged a vertical division within the CPM over whether or not to align with the Congress in taking on communal forces. The Prakash Karat faction has undercut a push for alliance by citing repeated Congress defeats over the four years as why such an alliance would be a self-defeating proposition. While Yechury has forged a close understanding with Rahul Gandhi, the Congress defeats have generally been seen as weakening his argument for an alliance. The timely Congress victories over BJP just four months ahead of Lok Sabha polls are seen to have delivered an ace to Yechury to revive his push for an electoral understanding with Congress. The primacy of fighting communal forces would gel well with the evidence that Congress has in it the appetite to defeat a Modi-led saffron camp.
In fact, CPM-aligned groups have already started arguing that the party’s failure to join hands with Congress in Madhya Pradesh has helped BJP win in over five constituencies. TNN
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