Giving way to the new

And that’s how the regime changes. At Rahul Gandhi’s ‘accession’ to the presidency of the Congress, the younger leaders in the party came on time and found their way past the crowds at the gates inside the complex. But the older lot, used to being ushered in, found it was hard even to get into the area. A former Cabinet minister arrived well after Sonia Gandhi’s speech had begun, looking harried. Another former general secretary found herself locked out. A current general secretary looked in vain for a seat in the few front rows, but no one got up to accommodate him.