Wayanad is well on its way to becoming yet another pocket-borough of the Congress First Family. Also, after Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, aspirant Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to be the third family member to become a Member of Parliament. All the talk about ‘equality’ and ‘proportionate representation’ is for others – the Gandhis will take their share first. Of course, Robert Vadra’s frequent appeals to be fielded from Amethi may have gone unheard, but it is only a matter of time before he will be given his turn if the fortunes of the Congress improve in the future. And, of course, there is that matter of pending cases, but that’s another thing he has in common with mother-in-law and brother-in-law. If Priyanka gets past the post in Wayanad, it will certainly be considered a green signal from the electorate that allegations of financial irregularities do not matter.
And while there is much celebration within the family, at present, there is a serious likelihood that a contest will emerge between Priyanka and Rahul for the party leadership. Thus far, members of the party have had no choice but to follow Rahul Gandhi after his mother has had to take the backseat. Now, however, if dissatisfied with the brother’s management, they have an alternative that they can prop up without being accused of being disloyal to the family. So, like all dynasties, sibling rivalry may take centre-stage. The titular presidency of the Congress for a Dalit will remain what it always was, an empty gesture.
The big question is whether the general public will, in future, continue to consider the party and its leadership as standard bearers of social egalitarianism. Or is it that they are not taken in anyway and it is just the pursuit of self-interest that matters. If a party comes to power in a particular state and it leads to the ‘empowerment’ of specific castes and ethnic groups through appointment to plum postings, does it matter who leads at the top? The only ones to lose out are those who have denied themselves an alternative and have been rendered a ‘captive’ votebank. The SP in UP is well ahead of the Congress in this game.
Priyanka Vadra may well win from Wayanad, but it remains to be seen if the political option being offered to the electorate is accepted across the spectrum of polls that are coming up. That will decide the fate of the party.
