A picture can say a thousand words but in some cases, it may just end up being a grim reminder of failed attempts.
A search on the Congress website and social media handle throws up interesting pictures. Like when just after the Rajasthan polls, amidst rivalry between the Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot camps, both could be seen with Rahul Gandhi in a show of unity. Till today, the state throws up a story of bitter infighting with a recent failed attempt at leadership change. Rahul Gandhi’s many efforts to broker peace have clearly not worked.
But let’s speak about Karnataka, where the Bharat Jodo Yatra is on and has just completed 1,000 kilometres. The state goes up for polls in six months and the Congress organisation is strong, making even the BJP sweat. For the Congress, corruption is the weapon it wants to use against the BJP.
But, here too, the Grand Old Party faces infighting, especially between former chief minister Siddaramaiah and state president DK Shivakumar. Rahul Gandhi is aware of the differences between the two and the fact that both nurture the ambition of becoming the chief minister.
Just recently, Rahul Gandhi visited the state on Siddaramaiah’s birthday before the yatra began and ensured that both the leaders sliced the cake together to end the dispute and rivalry. Then, another picture was released by the Congress social media handle that showed both the leaders holding hands with a smiling Rahul Gandhi looking on.
But interestingly, moments after this picture was released, a promo of Shivakumar came out, projecting him as the main leader of the Congress. While the party maintains that it won’t name a chief ministerial face, hiding the rivalry is beyond Rahul Gandhi’s control.
Cut to a fairly recent throwback when Rahul Gandhi’s last attempt at unity failed in Punjab. In the famous rally at Ludhiana, he tried the balancing act by praising both Navjot Singh Sidhu and Charanjit Singh Channi. As Channi was named the CM face, Rahul Gandhi made both the warring leaders hug but that ‘jhappi’ failed to end the bitterness and the Congress was wiped out in the state polls.
Chhattisgarh too is a picture perfect moment to happen, with a bitter TS Singh Deo waiting in the wings. The BJP, of course, has jumped on to attack the Gandhis’ ability to keep their flock together. Party leader Amit Malviya tweeted: “…just a caution: history of such photographs, from MP to Rajasthan and Chattisgarh has been nothing short of disaster. I have no doubt that Karnataka will also meet the same fate.”
It’s not that Sonia Gandhi did not face disunity and it did not have a bearing on the party’s fortunes. She had mentioned it when Congress lost MP but by and large, she has managed to deal with infighting by balancing the power equations. Like when she made Kumari Selja Haryana president, she also ensured Deepender Hooda was given Rajya Sabha to placate Bhupinder Hooda.
But with Rahul Gandhi taking charge to sort out the mess, the story has been different. It’s seen as a sign of a weak leadership who cannot keep the party together or the weakness of a party facing electoral drubbing where personal ambitions become predominant. The result is that either leaders leave the party or the rivalry takes its toll.
The Congress is proof that pictures don’t always capture the reality.
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