Rahul Gandhi ready, but is he able?

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who has been officially given the responsibility to lead his party’s Lok Sabha campaign, has been as direct as he can in saying he would accept the responsibility of being Prime Minister if the Congress is in a position to form the next government. And yet the question keeps coming up.

 

It did in Amethi on Thursday, only days after the Congress leader had assured the AICC that he would accept “any responsibility” the party would give him when the time came. 

 

Gandhi might help himself if he were more direct the next time round, and urged party workers to work hard to get the Congress to be in a position to form the next government or be in a position to influence its formation. For now, the party is engaged in a stiff fight as it suffers an anti-incumbency of 10 years.

 

The only meaningful assurance the Congress campaign chief is in a position to offer is that he will do everything to provide Congress workers a conducive environment. 

 

It needs to be understood that being named campaign chief is the most important responsibility before a LS election. It suggests that the person concerned would be PM if the party wins. 

 

In reality, Modi too is nothing but the BJP’s main commander in the poll battle. Whether he achieves his personal ambition would depend on the numbers that come in — exactly the situation Gandhi is in.