Call for sweeping changes: The way ahead for Congress

The call for “sweeping changes” in the way the Congress is run including the demand for “full-time and effective leadership” is perhaps the best thing that has happened for the Congress.

With the demand now in the public domain, this may become the appropriate time for the senior leadership to effect changes. Will the party grab the opportunity and make the changes suggested?

This is a question the party will now have to take, and at the moment, it looks likely that this will indeed happen. In what shape it takes place and the process that would be involved may be known in the days and perhaps weeks to come.

A striking feature of the call for reforms is the possible leadership change and one from outside the Gandhi family taking over the reins. However, this is easier said than done. There will be resistance from the Gandhi family loyalists.

This is already happening. Three party chief ministers—Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Amrinder Singh of Punjab and Bhupesh Bhagel of Chhattisgarh want the Gandhis to continue leading the party.

While choosing its president, the party is likely to spend considerable time, and once he/she is chosen, starts the second phase of consolidation of that dispensation. In Congress, it would be difficult for anyone other than the `family’ to command loyalty. It would be a Herculean task for anyone who takes over the leadership—unless it is a collective one—to summon allegiance from the party leaders or the rank and file.

These are the two crucial phases that the party will be called upon to face. These stages may not be smooth for the party as knives may be out for many from their bete noirs. There will be efforts engineered to cut others to size and to ensure that only the Gandhis will remain at the helm. The tussle between the young elements and the veterans will continue even after the leadership issue is resolved.

It is possible that a leader chosen by the Gandhis, someone like Mallikarjun Kharge, though aged, may find acceptance of all. That he is comfortable in many languages including Hindi would be a plus point for him. Kharge effectively steered the party as floor leader in the last Lok Sabha. However, that he was defeated in the Lok Sabha polls last year may go against him.

The century-old party is passing through its most difficult phase in terms of leadership, campaign strategy in elections, finding proper candidates or even effectively analysing the government’s policies as an opposition party, although it must be said that often, Rahul Gandhi tried his best in this regard. However, the public seem to be far from being convinced that Congress would give an effective alternative to the BJP.