Having stayed away from the political centre stage after he resigned as Congress President owning responsibility for his party's disastrous performance in the Lok Sabha elections last year, Rahul Gandhi appears to be inching his way back into the spotlight--the comeback driven by some ardent articulation on how to fight COVID-19.
It was after several months that Rahul addressed an AICC briefing when he took the dais on Thursday to talk about what should be the exit strategy as the country would look to end the lockdown, imposed to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus. A repackaging of Brand Rahul was evident as a relaxed-looking Rahul, clean-shaven, smiling and sporting a different hair-do, made it clear that it was not his intention to criticise the Narendra Modi-government with regard to the handling of COVID-19, but that he wanted to offer “constructive advice” to the Centre.
The Gandhi scion has in the past faced a backlash for his assaults on Prime Minister Modi, and there is a widespread feeling even within the Congress that strident attacks on Modi have backfired on the party.
The emphasis in the press conference was on offering 'constructive advice' to the Centre. Rahul said that he may disagree with the prime minister on several issues, but he did not want to enter a slanging match with the government on the issue of countering COVID-19.
There appears to be a conscious attempt at projecting Rahul as the voice of sanity amid the COVID-19 conundrum, as a leader with a clear view on what needs to be done to tackle the present crisis.
Congress leaders have often talked about Rahul having first sounded the warning on the threat posed by COVID-19, and they say that had the government taken steps in time to deal with the virus, the country would have been in a much better situation right now. Rahul had, in a tweet on February 12, said the coronavirus is an extremely serious threat to “our people and our economy”.
Rahul has been tweeting regularly with regard to anti-COVID measures. He also wrote a letter to the prime minister with suggestions to tackle the virus. His emphasis has been on ramping up testing and he has called for a more nuanced approach to implement the lockdown so as to take into account the livelihood issues of migrant workers.
It was after several months that Rahul attended the Congress Working Committee meeting called on April 2 to discuss the situation arising out of the spread of the coronavirus infection. He had not been attending meetings of the highest decision-making body of the party after having resigned as party president. Clearly inspired by his presence at the forum after a long gap, leaders who are known to be his supporters suggested that he should hold a video meeting with party leaders to discuss the crisis brought about by COVID-19.
Prior to the virus dominating political discourse, there was an outpouring of views within the Congress to the effect that the leadership crisis in the party should be dealt with on an urgent basis. It was suggested by several leaders that Rahul should make a comeback as party chief and some even said that a non-Gandhi could occupy the post. Post his insistence on resigning as Congress president, Sonia Gandhi took over as interim president, but party leaders say that there is a need for a full-time leader at the helm of affairs.
