Rahul Gandhi entered political life in 2004 a 34-year old, foreign-educated, shy, young man who had spent much of his college life concealing his political identity because of security concerns.
Still, he kept a low-profile until he jumped onto national scene in the 2014 national election as the new face of India’s grand old party, replacing his mother Sonia Gandhi, the party President on campaign posters. Gandhi’s sudden surge and aggression, was deemed “too little” and “too late”, anticipating a drubbing for the party in the parliamentary election.
Gandhi is known for speaking his mind even if that goes against the official party line. Last year, he embarrassed Congress party-led coalition government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he attacked an his party's attempt to overturn a Supreme Court ruling barred convicted lawmakers from contesting elections. He termed it a “nonsense” that should be “torn into pieces”.
In 2009, Gandhi toured a village in India’s biggest state, Uttar Pradesh, where he spent a night at a Dalit home, an unusual move in an Indian polity divided on caste lines. The exercise drew criticism from opponents and rivals who called it “poverty tourism”.
Gandhi’s only interview to an Indian news channel recently drew sharp reaction and ridicule on social media because of his political inexperience where most of his opponents called him “pappu” meaning “naive” and “dumb-kid”. Gandhi’s absence during mass youth agitation following the brutal Delhi gang-rape of December 2012 also raised questions about his leadership skills.
Despite the intense public criticism, Gandhi has tirelessly worked on a number of key anti-corruption legislations which have not seen light of the day because of continuous “disruptions” by the opposition.
Gandhi has contested the national election from his Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, the state which makes or breaks prime ministers. Friday’s election result will be a reflection of Gandhi’s national leadership.
by Mubasshir Mushtaq
englishnews@aa.com.tr
