)
He was answering a question on whether he would accept the post of prime minister during an interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar. Ahead of a party meeting on January 16-17, this comes as the clearest indication Gandhi will be named his party’s candidate for India’s top job.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had cleared the way for Gandhi by declaring he would not be seeking a third term as PM.
Though Gandhi hedged his answer with caveats (“We are a democratic alliance and we believe in democracy. The people of this country would choose their prime minister with their mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, etc”) his categorical affirmation ended the chatter over whether he was ‘ready’ for the post. Gandhi’s argument for claiming the job was that it was necessary in “national interest” that the Congress formed the government at the Centre and he would accept the responsibility if it was given to him by his party.
Gandhi also ruled out the possibility of Priyanka Vadra playing a bigger role in the party. “Apart from being my sister and a dear friend, Priyanka is also an active worker of the Congress. For these reasons alone, she is helping us in making the organisation a strong political force. I don’t think she would take any other role in the coming Lok Sabha elections.” This puts an end to the speculation of a larger and directly political role for Priyanka.
Without being overtly critical of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Gandhi said the paths of the Congress and AAP were different but they led to the same place. “I don’t agree with many of their recent decisions... our decisions should not be based on short-term gains. Instead, the decisions should keep long-term benefits and a secure future for the people.”
Gandhi also endorsed Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh’s position that the Congress and AAP could learn from each other. Party General-Secretary Janardan Dwivedi had earlier ticked off Ramesh for his remarks on AAP. He disagreed that Congress MPs and MLAs suffered from a disconnect from people. “Our leaders are very well connected with common people. I don’t agree that our MPs and MLAs don’t visit their constituencies. In fact, we are working toward involving the youth in politics. In this direction, we have worked heavily last year and plan to continue the exercise in future as well.” About the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, Gandhi was measured, refusing to be provoked by Modi’s sarcastic references to the dynasty, though he obliquely likened Modi to Aurangzeb.
“India has seen Samrat Ashok, Akbar and Aurangzeb. Ashok is famous for integrating people; Akbar, too, worked in this direction. That is why people take their names with great respect. However, Aurangzeb is known for other reasons. On the same lines, Congress is working towards national integration and inclusive growth for everyone.”
He said: “BJP wants to form a ‘one-man’ government at the Centre; that is not good in the national interest. The government should not function according to the whims and fancies of a single person. The future of over 1.2 billion people can be safeguarded with inclusive politics alone. The Congress lives in this country’s DNA. BJP’s demand of a “Congress-free Bharat” is a vague idea. BJP seems to have forgotten that the Congress is the only political force that has preserved the social fabric of this country.”
About the future plans of the Congress, Gandhi said education and infrastructure creation were the two main priorities. “Our next aims include educating and empowering the teachers and providing employment opportunities to the unemployed. We have planned big infrastructure in this country, where highways and corridors are being developed. The Delhi-Mumbai and the Bangalore-Chennai corridors are being developed on the same lines,” he said.
That Rahul Gandhi is in charge of preparations for the Lok Sabha polls is indisputable. Top party sources say he is directing work already underway on the manifesto, which, among other things, will have a sizeable thrust on inclusive politics, with a special reference to minorities and Dalits. Congress leader K C Raju, the convenor of the party’s scheduled caste cell, also considered Gandhi’s right-hand man, said the 93rd amendment in the Constitution envisaged a legal basis for affirmative action for Dalits. All that was needed was an enabling legislation to ensure reservation in the private sector. The Congress’ 2014 agenda would emphasise on education and healthcare services for all.
Party strategist Sam Pitroda, who is camping in Delhi to help Gandhi draft the manifesto, said the party needed to communicate its 10-year gains better. The first list of 200 candidates of the party should be ready by the end of January and the candidates themselves would take the message to the people.
