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Post 56-day sabbatical, Rahul Gandhi in 21-minute fame

However, a relieved Congress felt his two speeches – at the kisan rally in Ramlila Ground and in the Parliament – in 24 hours, have cleared the image of party's vice-president, the reclusive and reluctant politician, who avoids spotlight like a plague and have brought confidence back among the cadre.

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It was Rahul Gandhi 2.0. Fresh from a 56-day (mysterious) sabbatical, a recharged Congress vice-president claimed the floor of the House for 21 minutes taking on Modi government over the Land Acquisition Ordinance.

Earlier, wary of treasury bench barbs awaiting the party's crown prince, Congress parliamentary party office-bearers had met under Sonia Gandhi. According to sources privy to the meeting, Rahul was briefed and told to keep calm in the wake of any provocation.

But it was day one of the session and there was no whip either. Not more than two dozen Congress MPs turned up. Even deputy leader Capt Amrinder Singh and Kamal Nath gave it a miss. Mother Sonia was deliberately away, watching the speech from her parliament house office.

However, a relieved Congress felt his two speeches – at the kisan rally in Ramlila Ground and in the Parliament – in 24 hours, have cleared the image of party's vice-president, the reclusive and reluctant politician, who avoids spotlight like a plague and have brought confidence back among the cadre.

Party leader Mani Shankar Aiyer believes Rahul's speech have signaled a return to Nehru and Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, a definitive leftward shift in the party's public stance. "It has sent Modi running for cover," he says.

The question posed by Rahul in the Lok Sabha in his new aggressive and wittier avatar was "Why is a pragmatic PM hell-bent on annoying 60 per cent of people (by bringing land acquisition ordinance)?"

"Only one answer" he could fathom. "Land prices are hitting the sky and your corporate friends want that land" and hence the Ordinance was brought to hit the weakening farmers, already hit by the unremunerated prices. He largely spoke ex-tempore and kept smiling.

Rahul's unsolicited advice to Modi was: "Break the promises if given to corporates (in elections) as that will give you a political advantage instead of doing the big blunder of destroying the farmers and farm labourers. When he talked of 60% dependent on agriculture, someone from ruling side tried to correct him. He responded: "Oh, yes it is 67%... You know better."

While hitting at Modi, he said "Aapke Prime Minister to political aadmi hai (your PM is a political man)." The ruling benches retorted: "Apke nahi, desh ke PM (Not your PM but country's PM)" His witting repartee: "Yes, apke nahi, desh ke Pradhan Mantri (Yes not yours but country's PM)."

Rahul also took on Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, defending the land acquisition ordinance on behalf of the government. He sarcastically said: "I want to praise Mr Gadkari because he is one minister who speaks the truth. He said that 'farmers shouldn't rely on God or this government'. Certainly, the farmers should not expect 'achche din' (good days) from the 'achche din sarkar'."

Rahul also had a dig at different figures advanced regarding the crop damage by the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorms, wondering who is right: The PM who gives one figure or the agriculture ministry or the state governments or the experts? "I have a suggestion. Why doesn't the PM go and see for himself how much area has been affected," he asked.

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