Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to Congress party vice-president will compel the Opposition parties to start drawing up their electoral strategies as he is sure to be the Congress’ prime ministerial candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He will also take part in the party’s core group, seen as a super-CWC.
Mr Gandhi’s speech at the AICC meeting in Jaipur on Sunday, after becoming party vice-president, has raised expectations within the Congress. “The speech should be translated into action,” viewed party insiders.
The main Opposition BJP and the regional players would find it difficult to gain space among the youth and civil society by criticising the young Gandhi for the simple reason that politics is changing.
An organisational reshuffle and selection of party candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls could see the impact of Mr Gandhi. While a section of the Congress wants to revive the practice of constituting the parliamentary board, suspended by P.V. Narasimha Rao, Mr Gandhi will now have to devote more time to the party and may operate from 12, Tughlaq Lane and 10, Janpath here.