- As you are aware, the modern-day professional arrangement in any corporate organization, cutting across segments, would seek accountability from the top leadership for failing to deliver on expected lines. A maximum of one or two failures may be condoned or tolerated owing to extraneous considerations or uncontrollable situations. Even that lenient view may not be considered after all if it harms the very foundation of the organization in any manner. In a cut-throat world of competitiveness and fearsome urge to a position way above the rest, any failure to live up to the expectations will be met with precipitative action. It’s a given fact.
PC: McKissock
- However, the Grand Old Party led by the de-facto Gandhi family has repeatedly failed to deliver in successive elections, general as well as state assembly, but there appears to be no honest soul searching to apportion or pin blame on the leadership’s continued inability to deliver goods. Remember, the Gandhi matriarch Sonia Gandhi continues to be the interim president of the Congress party for the past three years. This happened soon after Rahul Gandhi resigned after the 2019 Lok Sabha debacle. However, the existing power-equation in Congress allows Gandhi siblings to take major decisions without any accompanying accountability.
- Looking at some of the major decisions initiated by the Gandhi siblings are largely backed by the loyal coterie desisting challenges thrown by the disgruntled group seeking accountability and party reforms. You are aware of the G23, a group of leaders lacking mass support but pressing ahead with inquiries to usher in much-needed party reforms. Unfortunately, every time legitimate leadership questions are raised, there are Gandhi family loyalists eager to stymie the move despite severe setbacks in the last few years. The loyalists as well as the Gandhi family are persistently failing to read the debacles or address the same with adroit and pragmatic decisions. Nobody seems to see the harmful effects on the party yet.
PC: Rasheed Kidwai
- The embarrassing drubbing in the recently concluded assembly elections to five states has not only seen an erosion of Congress’s heft amongst the electorate but also exposes the ineffectuality of the Gandhi siblings in leading from the front. Even though Priyanka Gandhi Vadra undertook spirited electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, there is nothing substantial to show for the efforts other than winning a mere two seats. In fact, the news reports suggest that Congress lost its security deposit in a stunning 387 of the 399 seats it contested. Most damningly, Congress got just 2.4% of the total votes in the state having contested nearly all seats.
- Losing Goa which was almost in the grasp as well as miserably failing to corner BJP in Uttarakhand for incompetent administration in the hill state amply demonstrates the Gandhi siblings have bungled up big-time in ensuring the party stays relevant. Honest soul-searching followed by a sweeping change at the top-leadership levels should be undertaken without any further procrastination if the Grand Old Party wishes to hold forte in the Indian political firmament. However, it appears the party mandarins and old war-horses are not prepared to ease the Gandhi family from the leadership positions in the foreseeable future. The decline will continue. What a sad state of affairs, indeed!
