Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Congress should look beyond Gandhis' that was published in Newsband

Congress should look beyond Gandhis

Congress party is in a fix. After its defeat in the elections, there have been cases of Congressmen resigning from their posts or defecting to other party or just quitting the party. There were many members of the party who demanded resignation of chief ministers of certain states. The defeat has given birth to rebels within the party who have become a source of headache for the party leaders. The fact that State Assembly elections are due later this year has increased the anxiety and impatience of party members. They fear a repeat of the results of the recent general elections that saw the Congress touching an unprecedented low in terms of seats won.

There is no doubt about the fact that Congress is going through a deep crisis. The party’s rank and file is not just looking for a major organisational overhaul and a big idea but it is actually thirsting for inspirational leadership and direction that can restore the fortunes of the Congress. The party vice-president Rahul Gandhi refuses to lead the party. This has frustrated party president Sonia Gandhi. A committee under senior leader A.K. Antony has been set up to make a diagnosis of, and suggest a cure for the party’s ills. The report that Antony will come up with will be meant for Sonia Gandhi’s eyes only.

It is high time for the Congress to look beyond the Gandhis. Congress needs a new leadership but not in the form of Gandhis. The new leader should be from the masses and not from a single family. The party has to restructure itself as it used to be before independence. The main thing which the party has to consider is the future of the country and not of a family.

The biggest downfall of Congress is Gandhi family, corruption, ‘secularism - Congress style’ and arrogance. The bitter fact is Congress will disintegrate without Gandhi’s name and the voters will not vote Congress because of Gandhis.

Two things the Congress has to get rid of are sycophancy and the Gandhis - then all will be well. They are directionless, rudderless and hopeless. They need new leadership. Congress should be dismantled. A fresh party with clear thoughts should be made from the scratch. In spite of having immense experience and skill, Congress is riding precipitously to its fall, because sycophancy towards Gandhis has become the driving attribute among the team, who enjoys priority among their teammates above the country's progress and development. Gandhi's inadequate leadership and lost trust has made the situation worse. Awakened people in general election has displaced Gandhis and abated them to an opposition party.

It’s high time for Congress insiders to pull themselves up and revamp the leadership, team's spirit with a changed ideology of democracy. Not to forget, capitalism only works well when it has strong opposition. India needs opposition like Arvind Kejriwal who is the only hope to reshape India.