Symbols of entitlement

The Congress Party stands at a critical crossroads. Any further delay in decisive action to redefine its leadership and direction risks entrenching its current state of aimlessness, with potentially irreversible consequences. At the heart of the party’s crisis lies a troubling reality: the continued dominance of the Gandhi family-Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sonia Gandhi-whose leadership has increasingly appeared directionless, entitled, and ideologically incoherent. The Gandhis-Rahul, Priyanaka Vadra and Sonia are essential to the Congress and this proclamation reinforces the perception of the Gandhis as a political dynasty symbolic of a misplaced grandeur. The comparison with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leadership highlights the stark contrast. Modi, Shah, and Nadda-unrelated by family ties-represent a cadre of self-made leaders united by a shared ideological commitment to Hindutva. Their hard work and cohesive vision have transformed the BJP into a dominant political force.The Congress leadership, by contrast, appears defined by privilege and entitlement. Sonia Gandhi entered politics as the wife of a former Prime Minister, while Rahul and Priyanka followed in their parents’ footsteps, relying on their lineage rather than demonstrating independent competence or ideological clarity. Their political careers reveal no consistent guiding philosophy. One day they espouse secularism; the next, they flirt with soft Hindutva, seen visiting mandirs to offer prayers and to show off their Hindu-ness. Their sporadic engagement in activism often amounts to little more than photo opportunities, quickly forgotten once public attention shifts. In particular, Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is emblematic of the party’s malaise. Despite successive electoral defeats, he appears unwilling or unable to shoulder responsibility, which is exemplified by his decision to take a holiday during a hectic election campaign or soon after. Critics from within and outside the party have voiced their skepticism about his leadership capabilities. On the other hand, BJP leaders from Modi, Shah to Nadda don’t allow grass to grow under their feet whether their party won or lost elections. They continue to be on election-mode and seem to never stop.This juxtaposition highlights the BJP’s relentless work ethic and the Congress’s chronic complacency.The persistence of the Gandhis at the helm of the Congress serves the BJP’s interests. It allows the ruling party to deflect criticism of its current policies by invoking the failings of past Congress regimes, from Indira Gandhi’s Emergency to the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962. Moreover, the Gandhis’ entitlement and perceived incompetence undermine the credibility of the Congress as an opposition force capable of challenging Hindutva authoritarianism. India’s democratic and secular Republic, already under threat, cannot rely on the Gandhis to mount an effective resistance. The Congress needs a new, energetic, and ideologically coherent leadership that prioritizes party and national interests over family legacy. The Gandhis must step aside-not only from leadership positions but from remote control-to enable genuine reform and rejuvenation. Having lost the Lok Sabha election 2024 and polls in Haryana where it was expected to return to power and also losing Maharastra as the head of the MVA alliance, the Congress has to rebuild under a new leadership and forge strategic alliances. The Gandhis’ withdrawal would mark a meaningful sacrifice, far more consequential than symbolic gestures like skipping celebrations. Only then can the Congress hope to restore its relevance and reclaim its role as a bulwark against authoritarianism.