Grand victory fuels talks on Rahul’s elevation

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s faction in the party had been maintaining a low key because of its repeated dismal performances in the past, but post the stupendous victory in the Bihar elections – whose results were announced on Sunday – the section is actively pushing for his elevation. 

A joyous Congress general secretary, CP Joshi, on Monday said Congress workers felt that time had come for Rahul Gandhi to take over as the grand old party’s president.

In 2010, the Congress had a pathetic show in Bihar. The party managed to win only four in the 243-seat Assembly. But this time, under the leadership of Rahul, the party has bagged 27 out 40 seats. 

Before the crucial Assembly polls, the Congress had entered into an alliance with the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). During the seat-sharing exercise, it was decided that the  Congress would contest 40 seats. 

Joshi, who was in-charge of the Congress’ affairs in Bihar during the elections, insisted that the grand alliance’s victory would have “far reaching ramifications both nationally and internationally”.

“Now, Congress workers feel that Rahul Gandhi should take over as the party’s president,” Joshi said. 

Dubbing Rahul as the sutradhar (chief architect) of the grand alliance, he stressed that the Congress scion played a key role in strategising the tie-up for the crucial polls. He said that while JD-U leader Nitish Kumar provided leadership to the alliance, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad gave it the strength.

Joshi’s remarks comes at a time when Congress leaders are losing no time in crediting Rahul for the victory after the spectacular win of the Nitish Kumar-led coalition in Bihar.

“With loyalists hailing Rahul as the prime reason for the Bihar victory, the feeling of his elevation among party workers has revived,” said a source. “The anti-Rahul faction has received a message with this resounding victory,” added the source.

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed had on Sunday insisted that the grand alliance could not have been possible  had Rahul not played a pivotal role. 

Many party leaders recall that it was Rahul, who brought Nitish and Lalu Prasad together and played a key role of a catalyst at a time when the RJD supremo was having reservations over the ‘secular’ merger. The victory in Bihar is also being talked about as a good timing for Rahul to take over as the Congress chief.

However, despite murmurs on Rahul’s promotion, insiders indicated that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the leader himself would have to take the final call on the subject. 

Moreover, talks were doing the rounds that an AICC session could be convened this month itself on the matter. Bihar is the first state where the Congress has performed well after a long time – the last major victory being the Karnataka Assembly polls.