Expectations are high for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is contesting elections from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency for the first time on November 13. The seat fell vacant after Rahul Gandhi retained Rae Bareli and gave up Wayanad, which he represented in the previous Parliament.
Priyanka, if elected, will undoubtedly increase the firepower of the Congress and, along with her brother, will push her party's agenda at the national level and in the various elections to come. His speeches during the last Lok Sabha elections touched the hearts of voters and his electoral style reminded people of his grandmother Indira Gandhi, a great popular leader of the last century.
Priyanka, however, has a long way to go to emulate Indira Gandhi, whose connection with the common man is unique and her popularity and appeal unmatched. The mere resemblance to his famous grandmother was not enough to succeed in political life. Her labors and efforts to make Indira Gandhi, if she wants to leave her mark, must be repeated.
The former Prime Minister entered Parliament through Rajya Sabha and was a member of this upper house when he was first elected Prime Minister in January 1966, after the tragic death of Lal Bahadur Shastri. Indira Gandhi made her Lok Sabha debut in the 1967 parliamentary elections from Raebareli, which was earlier represented by her late husband Feroze Gandhi.
Sonia Gandhi was also elected from Raebareli constituency, which is considered a Gandhi stronghold and is currently represented by Rahul Gandhi, who is sure to win there once the elections are announced.
Priyanka cannot take her election debut lightly as she reaches out to the people of Wayanad and Kerala, who have supported the Congress on many occasions. His entry was awaited by the party workers, who will surely feel encouraged by his inspiring presence. There is no doubt that Priyanka has an unmatched charm when it comes to campaigning.
However, Congress leaders must understand that with Priyanka's charm and seductive appeal, there is a need to strengthen the organisation. This can only be achieved by focusing on the grassroots workers at the block and district level and bringing in fresh faces.
Congress as it stands today has an impenetrable organizational structure where the roles of officials are not defined and the fact that they are part of the hierarchy brings nothing to the table. Unless new ideas and party members have some traction, it will always be a challenge for the Congress to take on the BJP and its strong organizational structure.
Unfortunately, over the years, Congress leaders have been embroiled in a battle not in the people's court, but over who could be the biggest traitor to Gandhiji. This has to end. It must be clearly understood that Gandhians have secured a place in the political arena of the country and can take care of themselves. Emphasis should be given to strengthening the party.
It is a common sense logic that strengthening the Congress will automatically strengthen the Gandhians. So, all the energy should not be spent on changing the image of Rahul or Priyanka, but on the match. What could happen is that since Priyanka is contesting in Wayanad this time, Congressmen will rush there to show their faces. These will be very important elections in both the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
The High Level Committee should ensure that the role of party officials is clearly defined. Also, for campaigning, the services of sitting chief ministers should be engaged instead of their predecessors. In Haryana, the party did not make enough use of Himachal Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sugu and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. This should not be repeated. Both of them and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take part in the assembly election campaign, where the stakes are high and the experience of the victors is needed to boost the effort. The High Command has insisted on restructuring. The Parliamentary Board should be revitalized and try to assign tasks to those who have worked on the ground and have been successful instead of giving importance to those who do not know the political movement and who can perform better as lobbyists than in office. Congress bearers.
Priyanka has already given her voice in the party and she is very strong. She always disagrees with her brother on some issues, but this type of story is suitable for those who enjoy the closeness with the Gandhi brothers and benefit from this rivalry. The Gandhians may have had their own way of thinking, but they never publicly disagreed with each other. Sonia Gandhi has assured that this will never happen.
If Priyanka manages to enter the Lok Sabha, her participation in the debates will improve the process. But the first requirement for any leader to have an impact is that the organization he represents has the political strength to move forward. Congress must be strengthened. among us.
