Congress “supremo” Rahul Gandhi turned 55 last week. Expectedly, the party celebrated it in a big way, giving the impression that it was the biggest event of the year for them. It was, for it gave them an opportunity to publicly display their loyalty to their beloved leader. Although he holds no post in the party, it is an open secret that his word is final and the entire focus of the party hierarchy is to impress him and keep him in good humour.

The birthdays of leaders will come and go. The party seems to have forgotten that its focus should be revival and preparation for the 2029 parliamentary elections. The Congress party still believes Rahul Gandhi is its mantra to power. If that were the case, the party would not have been voted out in 2014, when the BJP under Narendra Modi came to power. The problem for Congress is that it still cannot look beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family, even after Rahul Gandhi’s rejection by voters thrice in a row.

In developed democracies, leaders step aside after being rejected by the electorate. It is wishful thinking to believe that voters will suddenly develop hope and affection for someone they have consistently turned down.

At 55, Rahul Gandhi is no longer seen as a young or next-generation leader. He has done little to ignite hope within the........

© Free Press Journal