Sonia Gandhi's Congress - The Daily

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Finally then Sonia Gandhi has taken a step towards accepting her responsibility as
a factor in Congress politics. Notwithstanding all the criticism regarding her,
Italian origins the fact is that she has lived in this country longer than she
ever did in. Italy. The fact also is that every Congressman was turning to her for
succour and solace in the face of the most disastrous performance by her party in
the last fifty years. It comes as no surprise therefore that the Congress has
found a new spirit of unity in the mere fact of her joining the party formally.

The question that arises now is has Sonia taken this step a bit too late in the
day? Would it not have been better to have entered the Congress just after the
party's defeat in 1996, and bolstered its chances in the Uttar Pradesh assembly
elections where a good showing by the party would have injected a new life in what
has traditionally been regarded as India's ruling party?

The timing of Sonia Gandhi! s announcement has to be related to the organisational
elections within the party. The fact that. this step will only strengthen the
Congress President Sitaram. Kesri is a foregone conclusion. However what is of
the greatest importance now is what role does she envisage for herself? If the
rank and file of the party is to be believed the only person who. can now save
them from total annihilation' is Mrs Gandhi. There are some who even go to the
extent of saying that Sonia Gandhi should lead the party in the manner that her
late husband did. While that may be the view of a lunatic fringe in the party,
Mrs Gandhi's entry substantially changes the balance of power. This means a
couple of things. One, that now no one will be able to use her name without her
knowledge ... being an active member of the party she would be available for
consultations, explanations and advice. Two, Mrs Gandhi herself will not be able
to manipulate things ... if indeed she was doing that ... in the manner that she
used to be able to earlier. Now she is not only responsible but also accountable.
As a result the old 'Madam has said so' line will soon disappear from the
Congress lexicon.

Of course the Congress should be ready to face an onslaught from the other parties
over the fact that an Italian will soon be leading their party. However the
Congress has a readymade explanation ... its own birth was presided over by an
Englishman, therefore it is really nothing new for the party to be led by someone
who was not born in these parts. The party can of course adopt' the view that
there is no need for it even to. give any sort of explanation for its constituents
so long as they are not people who have broken the law. For all practical
purposes Sonia Gandhi is. an Indian citizen and is entitled to do all that any
other Indian is. This also includes aspiring to become leader of a party and in
time to make a bid to be the prime minister as well. It is not our contention that
she will do all that. But this is only to reiterate that under the law nothing
prevents her from doing so.

Nothing of course also prevents her from taking over the reins of the leadership
of the Congress party. in a manner that may leave the established power cartels
with nothing to hold on to. And at the end of the day that might not be such a bad
idea after all ... because the Congress looks ready to make a pact with just about
anyone to be able to return to power. And Sonia Gandhi is one of their own.
Therefore there's no shame in turning to her. The surprising part in this whole
business is only that it took so long to convince the Congress leadership of the
fact that both need each other to retain their little kingdoms.

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