After a long time, the AICC headquarters was abuzz again as fierce Narendra Modi critics Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani joined the party this evening. The event was billed as a sign that the Congress was taking the fight to the ruling dispensation with aggressive young voices, and a counter to the perception that young leaders were deserting it.
The joining of the two leaders had been timed to coincide with the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, but it ended up taking place in the shadow of the shocking move by Navjot Singh Sidhu to quit as Punjab Congress president.
Kanhaiya and Mevani, prior to coming on board the Congress, accompanied Rahul in paying homage to Bhagat Singh. While Kanhaiya signed on as a member of the party, Mevani's formal joining will have to wait since he is presently an independent MLA in Gujarat and hence cannot join the party.
The optics were in place as the two leaders, accompanied by young leader from Gujarat Hardik Patel, who is learnt to have played an important role in bringing the two leaders to the Congress, posed for pictures at the party office. And so were the sound bites as they spelt out their reasons for joining the party.
Kanhaiya, known for his fiery and highly engaging speeches, was in his element as he attacked the Modi government for crushing the ethos of India and endangering its future. He described the present situation as an “emergency” and said his decision to join the Congress was guided by his belief that “if the Congress is not left, the country will not survive”.
Mevani, a prominent Dalit leader from Gujarat, emphasised on the importance of protecting the Idea of India and the Constitutional values that build the foundation of the country. “The story which began in Gujarat six to seven years ago has now developed into an unprecedented crisis. The Constitution is under attack. The idea of India is under attack. Democracy is under attack,” he said.
The Congress has through the inductions tried to dispel the perception that young leaders, disenchanted with the manner in which the party is functioning, are leaving it. It has tried to convey the message that young leaders who are not afraid of taking on the Modi government identify with the party and will strengthen its fight against PM Modi and the BJP. For good effect, Kanhaiya and Mevani said that they will travel across the country appealing to the youth to join hands with the party.
However, there are leaders who believe that the party will do well to be wary of the impact of getting on board leaders who have been targeted by the BJP as being aligned with the 'anti-nationals'. Kanhaiya, an avowed Left leader till now, has been attacked by the BJP as belonging to what it calls is the 'tukde-tukde' gang, and Mevani has been criticised by those leaning right for raising his voice in support of anti-CAA activists and in solidarity with 'urban naxals'.
A section of the party has also raised the issue of whether the party is not leaning too left now, with Kanhaiya adding to Left-leaning members of Team Rahul.