In Congress circles, the smart money is on Rahul Gandhi staying put in the party, and, perhaps, taking on a larger role.
The prime minister wants him to join the government and so does his mother, but in Congress circles, the smart money is on Rahul Gandhi staying put in the party, and, perhaps, taking on a larger role.
There are suggestions that a new post of secretary-general could be created
for him, or that he could be made working president, directly under his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Rahul’s stature has undoubtedly grown in the aftermath of the Congress party’s resounding victory, and most young MPs believe a stint in government will give him the experience he needs about the way a government functions.
Several senior party leaders, however, believe that the bigger challenge for Rahul would be to invigorate the party, restructure it, and handpick his team. “He can make a much bigger contribution and add to his laurels if he puts the organisation into shape,” a senior Congress politician said.
“We had consistently been losing elections because our organisation was in bad shape. If he can set that right, he would have rendered yeoman service to the party,” an AICC general secretary, who wished to remain unnamed, said.
Those in favour of this view also believe that working in the organisation would give Rahul greater pan-Indian exposure than merely a stint in government. “He is well aware of government processes and will gain little by joining the government,” said a Congress veteran. “In fact, he will have little time to devote to the organisation and all the good work he has started will come to nought.”
People familiar with Rahul’s thought process believe his priority in the short term is to build on the success of the 2009 election by whipping the organisation into shape in time for the assembly election later this year in Maharashtra.
He has already made it clear that he will work to ensure that the Congress forms the next government in Uttar Pradesh, and that he will now turn his full attention to the organisation in UP, so that by the time the next assembly election is held in 2012, the party will be in fighting shape.
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