People have taken to calling the Congress, India’s GOP (Grand Old Party). The fact that India’s oldest and most significant political party is a mere shadow of its former self, makes this ironic in the extreme. One of the main failings of the Congress is its nondemocratic structure and its slavish devotion to one family; the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty. The election of a new Congress president is in the offing. Supporters also hope for a possible revival of the party in times to come. How much of this is possible or likely?
There appears to be no doubt that Rahul Gandhi will be the next party president after his mother Sonia Gandhi steps down. Candidates are to file nominations by 4th December and voting (if required) would take place by 16th December. However, this election process is largely seen to be an eyewash; a formality at best with only one possible result - the election of Rahul Gandhi as the party president.
We are a democratic country. The Congress is the party that led India to independence from under an undemocratic British rule; as such the party itself is also supposed to function based on democratic principles. But this passing on of the party baton from one to another generation is simply feudal!
Indian politics lends itself naturally to the culture of sycophancy and during the years of Indira Gandhi, this became even more entrenched. The obsequious and unctuous Pradesh Congress Committees and frontal organisations have also backed Rahul Gandhi’s elevation unanimously. Is it not amazing that they did not find a single other person who could possibly do the job?
Someone is, and I would say it’s about time! It has always been puzzling how so many worthy candidates in the Congress never seem to be even considered for top posts – those apparently are reserved for those who belong to the Gandhi family. Because they can do no wrong and everything they do is wonderful!
Shehzad Poonawalla asked Gandhi to resign and then contest elections. He called the election "rigged" and he also indicated his desire to contest for the top post, if the election was conducted in a "genuine" manner. He wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi in this connection. However, there were hostile reactions to this from other Congress Party members as well as his own family.
Someone had the courage to speak up against the unquestioning, fawning devotion to the family; even if that person was not of significance in the scheme of things. No one else seems to be able to articulate any home truths about the complete absence of the democratic process in India’s GOP. Instead of considering what Shehzad Poonawalla had to say, he was admonished and disowned; his own brother Tehseen Poonawalla said that he wanted nothing more to do with him.
The world can make the nastiest most vicious "Pappu" jokes about Rahul Gandhi. He may himself reveal himself to be rather clueless and out of touch with political realities. But that does not prevent the servile, toadying, flattering minions of the Congress from paying their obeisance, declaring anything remotely related to the Gandhis as being of divine provenance and insisting that there is no better; no possible option but for the blue-blooded pedigree. It is dismaying in the extreme that the Congress is unable to move away from their myopia and habitual blind devotion even for as long as it takes to think about the survival of the party.
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