CONGRESS has finally a full-time president in Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit. He became the party’s first non-Congress president in 24 years, defeating Shashi Tharoor whose camp has alleged irregularities in the voting. Kharge has had a long stint in public life. He has been the leader of the opposition in both houses of parliament and has served as a cabinet minister in the federal government looking after the railways and labour and employment ministries. But he is a staunch Gandhi loyalist. So basically there is little that has changed with his election. He represents the old guard of Congress who are increasingly seen as out of touch with people. Besides, his being seen as a proxy for Gandhis doesn’t help his cause.
That said, Kharge has come to represents the change that Congress desperately needs for revival. Can he do the job? It is anybody’s guess. He has been a longstanding politician and has a vast experience in national politics. But it won’t be easy to match up to the overarching persona of prime minister Narendra Modi who continues to be the darling of the majority of the masses and looks favourite to win 2024 polls. So, Kharge, in a sense, has the toughest job at hand. His challenges are first to reorganize Congress as a party that adapts to the BJP-style 24×7 politics. He also needs to get the party’s rank and file to rally around him. And his another challenge – and this would be most daunting of all – is to provide an ideological alternative to the BJP’s reigning creed. Congress has so far failed to do this. And also going by Kharge’s persona, he doesn’t appear up to the challenge. He is seen as an extension of Gandhi family’s rule by another name. So, we could very well witness the continuity of the political ennui that has been the hallmark of the party over the last eight years. But things will become clear in the weeks and months to come.
Meanwhile, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s padyatra seems to have breathed some new life into an otherwise dying party. He has been drawing reasonably good crowds. But mobilizing crowds doesn’t guarantee a good electoral performance. So, the first test of padyatra would be the upcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh scheduled to be held early next year. And the two elections would also be a test for Kharge’s political smarts. Elections in Gujarat would be the most crucial. It would be important to see how Congress fares in the election. An even moderate performance would be a sign of improvement.
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