Cong says Rahul speech good but...

Many in the Congress were disappointed with the 'absence of a roadmap' in his vision for an inclusive India

The thoughts of Rahul Gandhi, as expressed yesterday to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), after the Congress party had chewed and digested these, appear to have stirred the party only moderately.

A day after the party vice-president’s address, some within the party were relieved that Gandhi had managed to sidestep issues which could have embarrassed the party and the UPA government – the series of scams, corruption and price rise. While many Congress members were happy at people being able to now see beyond the much critiqued enigma that surrounds Gandhi and could see the “pragmatic, honest and sincere” persona, others were disappointed with the “absence of the roadmap” in his vision for an inclusive India.

“This was a speech about Rahul Gandhi; his views on governance, his philosophy, his frustration with the clogging in the political system. This was not a speech of the vice-president of the party giving a campaign speech for the party,” said a Congressman. Even his critics acknowledged that “this was the first time any Congressman had congratulated corporate giants for their contribution in changing the image of India in the world”. A minister said, “Except for the odd exception of Montek Singh Ahluwalia, not many within the party are brave enough to speak of public-private partnership. There has always been the apprehension of how it will be perceived: courting industry. But Gandhi has done just that. He has invited industry, ‘Let’s walk together’ and thereby bridged the gap between the party and business.”

A leader said what Gandhi had successfully managed to do by appealing that governance had to be taken to the grassroots was to embrace both the Left-leaning ideology and the other end that believed in embracing industry and business. It was to take along both to present a new paradigm of development, in a way, an extension of his thoughts at the party’s Jaipur ‘chintan shivir’.

An old-timer who has seen many an election campaign said, “A year down the line, when the party goes campaigning for votes, Rahul Gandhi will have to take on a more combative persona. He will have to be more focused, more targeted.”

The official party line today was one of self-congratulation. Spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, “Rahul Gandhi has enunciated anew model of development.” Adding, “Rahul Gandhi is leader of the party and not of the government; I’m sure the government will take note of it.”     

Dismissing the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP charge of Gandhi’s speech having missed taking on crucial issues of the day, Alvi said, “It was an address to a select audience of the CII. It was not a presidential address where all issues need to be touched upon.”

As for whether he had left the party confounded over taking on the Prime Ministerial mantle, leaders said by successfully donning a stance different from that of Narendra Modi, he had managed to appear different. “And, he hasn’t ruled himself out entirely from being Prime Minister.”