Last Updated:
The Congress leader’s visit may appease the Samajwadi Party for a bit as faced with losses in Haryana and Maharashtra, the INDIA bloc leaders are no longer in a mood to bend backwards to accommodate Gandhi’s wishes
With Parliament all geared up to discuss key issues like Sambhal, persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, and Constitution Diwas, a lot will depend on how well Rahul Gandhi and Congress can reach out to the opposition parties. (PTI)
After a firebrand speech on the Sambhal issue, one which united most of the INDIA bloc in the walkout from Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav stressed that the violence was a critical issue and “nothing else matters”.
This was a direct rap to the Congress and Rahul Gandhi who had argued that the “manipulation” of EVMs was the real peoples’ issue. So, is this reality check the reason that Rahul Gandhi decided to go ahead and visit Sambhal despite the possibility of him being stopped?
Given that Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition (LoP), the responsibility to see that the Opposition speaks in one voice and on similar issues rests on him. The Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and many in Uttar Pradesh and within the Congress feel that the issues on which the Grand Old Party is protesting will not find much traction on the ground.
ALSO READ | First Sambhal, Then Ajmer: Ex-CJI Chandrachud Under Fire For ‘Opening Floodgates’ Of Survey Pleas
In contrast, the Sambhal issue could be used to corner the BJP by accusing it of dividing people. The stand could also please one of its important allies — Samajwadi Party. This apart, it was felt that Rahul Gandhi as an MP from Uttar Pradesh needed to speak on the Sambhal issue and hence, the visit.
But the problem doesn’t stop here. There has been much pressure from TMC MPs that Mamata Banerjee be made the convenor of the INDIA bloc, with leaders questioning Rahul Gandhi’s ability to win elections. The proposal by TMC MPs, however, was laughed off by Congress’ Manickam Tagore, one of Gandhi’s closest aides, who called it a “joke”. This angered TMC which threw the dig back at the Congress, saying the party has become a joke as far as political strategy goes.
With Parliament all geared up to discuss key issues like Sambhal, persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, and Constitution Diwas, a lot will depend on how well Rahul Gandhi and Congress can reach out to the opposition parties.
ALSO READ | Opinion | Sambhal Case: High Time The ‘Old Normal’ Cedes Space To The ‘New Normal’
In Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, TMC and DMK joined hands in defence of Ram Gopal Yadav as they claimed that he was cut short by the vice-president during his speech. TMC sources said the Congress cut a sorry figure as it did not show similar aggression against the chairperson. They also accused the Congress of following a strategy based on the stubbornness and demand of only one person — Rahul Gandhi.
Faced with losses in Haryana and Maharashtra, the INDIA bloc leaders are no longer in a mood to bend backwards to accommodate Gandhi’s words and wishes, and while Sambhal may placate SP for a bit, the Congress still has a long way to go before the alliance trusts it and its leader.
