Rahul Gandhi: Hit or flop?

 

 

Gandhi tag will help
Congress seems to be hunting for an icon, the way BJP had AB Vajpayee until recently, and Rahul Gandhi seems to be the right candidate. He is young, dynamic and most importantly, has a clean slate. His clean image works wonders in rural India, where people don't see much beyond the Gandhi tag. Also, Rahul has politics in his blood and I'm sure he has picked up a lot of things as he grew. In politics, you need a lot of pull and Rahul has it. And since he is so young and fresh, people are likely to be more understanding with him. While Sonia's errors would be criticised, people are likely to be more understanding with Rahul. He will get a lot more chances than any other person his age. It's clear that the Congress is nurturing him as a future PM, the way they have been cushioning him. The Gandhi tag will certainly work for him. Politics is all about manipulating emotions and Rahul's lineage will stand him in good stead.
— Pranav Mhatre/Andheri

 

Gandhi tag might hurt
Congress tried the Sonia-card, but the foreigner label still haunts her. Rahul though, is seen as an Indian. He is seen more as Rajiv Gandhi's son than Sonia's. And that is a big plus, considering that a significant section of the population see Rajiv Gandhi as a patriot, who fell to a terrorist attack. Add to that the fact that the Gandhi family has always been bigger than the Congress party itself. However, contrary to popular perception, I think Rahul has his age against him. He is likely to be seen as inexperienced and raw. The Gandhi tag in fact, can work against him. His actions will be judged by the benchmarks set by his illustrious family. He will be under intense scrutiny and any mistakes will be criticised severely.
— Rahul Pujari/Prabhadevi

 

He must prove himself
The Gandhi tag is fine, but one needs solid experience to survive at the highest level. However, Rahul has the support of the party cadres and that will help. The higher rung politicians probably see him as the future PM and want to appease him. The sudden clamour for Rahul Gandhi is not surprising. Indian history is full of political dynasties and it's only natural for Rahul to climb to power. I hope senior leaders ask him to go and prove himself on the field rather than just idly stake claim to the top-post.
— Saurabh Raut/Worli

 

Should be scrutinised
I am not sure if the Gandhi-tag works as well as some people believe. Had that been the case, Congress would never have been out of power. The Gandhi legacy doesn't seem to work too well with literate India, which is more rational and informed. Rural India though, still holds a lot of respect for the Gandhis and will do anything for anyone with the name.

 

This sudden shout for Rahul Gandhi at the Hyderabad session seems to be a carefully plotted move to ramp up his image in time for the next general elections. Of course, the Gandhi tag will invite a lot of criticism, which I think is fair. Anyone who aspires to head the Congress and maybe even the country has to be subjected to intense scrutiny. More so in Rahul's case since he doesn't have a lot of experience. Having said that, there's a good chance that he has picked up quite a few things as he grew up and we must not discount this learning.
— Nikita Chawla/Churchgate

 

Legacy is not everything
Rahul definitely has a major advantage by way of his last name. The Congress leadership seems to be projecting him as Rajiv Gandhi Jr., which is bound to get him a lot of support among the masses. However, I think the capacity to rule is more important than the legacy. Rajiv had his detractors, so did Sonia. Rahul has no history and that will really work in his favour. Comparisons are inevitable and that can add some pressure. Maybe he will be critiqued more than necessary, but then he also has a whole lot of supporters by default. This clout will help him climb the order to a position of power.
— Aditi Hansaria/Churchgate