Irrespective of whether the recently released books by two former bureaucrats on the inept functioning of the Indian Prime Minister’s office will have eroded the flagging credibility of Manmohan Singh, or further dent the reputation of the Congress in these general elections, the time has come for the party’s think tank and the Gandhi family to take a step back and re-evaluate their approach and influence.
The controversial accounts have highlighted alleged instances of excessive domination employed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, thus cementing Singh’s reputation as a lame duck leader who operated on remote control and lacked influence over his cabinet.
Singh served two terms as prime minister, but his reputation took a mauling in the United Progressive Alliance’s second term and tainted his legacy.
He now leaves politics amidst declarations that his career report card may have been hit by the seeds of destruction sown within the Congress by select individuals.
In the public’s assessment, the Congress’s aura is fading and the Gandhis’ influence, especially Rahul’s, even more so. In the era of coalition politics this can be a significant dynamic, given that a party that has lost its appeal can no longer have the ability to negotiate from a position of superiority with allies. The UPA and public are cognisant of this, thanks to a messy second term where associates deserted them and they were constantly firefighting to retain their dominance.
Blind devotion to one family, sycophancy and conflict of interest have been detrimental to the welfare of the Congress. The last decade has shown that, with the departure of their senior leadership to a combination of retirements, relegations, demotions and administrative bunglings, there seems to be a dearth of genuine prime ministerial candidates. Rahul Gandhi is simply not inspiring and lacks the credentials.
The moot question now is: how can the Congress make itself relevant to India again? The answer lies in identifying potential of individuals, flexibility in management and softening the power base of select people.
