Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Congress in a dilemma

Though there is no tradition of announcing the name of prime ministerial candidate before the Lok Sabha elections in the Congress Party, this time the situation is different because of price rise and corruption, which is marring its poll prospect. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has proved to be the weakest prime minister of the nation. There is no charge of corruption against him personally, but under his premiership the spate of corruption has surfaced that has made his position the weakest one. His inaction has allowed the situation to go from bad to worse, which has mirrored in unchecked price rise and corruption. Congress party has only three months before the Lok Sabha elections to bring the position on right track, which is almost impossible. The party is undecided to announce its prime ministerial candidate when its main rival and opposition BJP has already announced Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The pressure is mounting on the Congress Party from all sides to announce its prime ministerial candidate. There appears to be no unanimity among top party leaders on announcing the prime ministerial candidate before LS elections. Though it is understood that when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already announced that he is in no race for the third time, it is well-understood that Congress Party prime ministerial candidate is its Vice President Rahul Gandhi. But some Congress strategists are not in favouring of putting Rahul Gandhi against BJP’s Narendra Modi and thereby exposing him before the people. With the interview of Rahul Gandhi appearing in a national Hindi daily, it has become clear that he is not running away from responsibility. Rahul Gandhi has himself said that he has shown no reluctance in shouldering the responsibility given to him by the party and he is ready to take any responsibility given to him by the party. Now it is up to the Congress party to decide what to do on the issue of announcing prime ministerial candidate before LS elections. Despite the falling popularity graph of the Congress due to the failure of its government led by Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Centre to check price rise and corruption, the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi as party’s prime ministerial candidate will certainly galvanize the party workers all over the nation. So, the Congress party in its AIIC meeting scheduled to be held on Jan 17 may either announce the name of Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate or he be made the working president of the party to go in Lok Sabha elections under his leadership and thereby making it clear that if the Congress-led UPA get back majority, he will be elected leader of the parliamentary party to stake claim to form the government before the President. By this way, Rahul Gandhi will have escape route to save himself from embarrassment that he has proved himself a failure if the Congress Party is routed in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

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