Rahul Gandhi on Saturday became the vice-president of the Congress party. The generational change took place here on the eve of the AICC meeting, making him officially number two in the party.
The decision was taken at the extended CWC meeting after senior leader and Union defence minister A.K. Antony moved the proposal following the opening remarks of party chief Sonia Gandhi, whose son becomes the youngest vice-president of the Grand Old Party after Independence. The late Arjun Singh and Jitendra Prasada had occupied the post during the presidentships of Rajiv Gandhi and Sitaram Kesri.
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who seconded the proposal, said it has not yet decided whether Mr Gandhi would lead the party’s election campaign. He becomes vice-president at a time when the rank and file want him projected as the Congress’ prime ministerial candidate.
Mr Gandhi takes on his new responsibility ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and at a time when the Congress has been heading a coalition government at the Centre since 2004. These developments will also have a bearing on the proposed AICC reshuffle which will see many young faces. His elevation will see a change in power equations within the party and at the Centre.
Mr Gandhi, who joined active politics in 2004 by contesting the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, has been consistent in staying away from government despite several attempts to convince him to do so by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
His first priority will be to take a firm stand on coalitions and revive the party in UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa either with his own team or with seasoned leaders. Mr Gandhi has tried to improve the working of the Youth Congress and the NSUI internal elections. His elevation, party strategists feel, will rejuvenate the Congress across the country and attract youth wanting to play a role in nation building against the backdrop of reforms initiated by Dr Manmohan Singh in 1991 and the Ayodhya and Mandal agitations.
The demand of “Rahul lau (Bring Rahul)” was first made in the Congress plenary in Hyderabad in 2006; he became AICC general secretary the next year.
The Jaipur brainstorming session became historic, literally, on Saturday. That Mr Gandhi would be elevated became clear in the afternoon when delegates started throwing broad hints of his elevation. By the evening it became clear that it would be announced Saturday night when party workers started bursting firecrackers in Jaipur, in New Delhi and elsewhere.