FlippED is an ED Original style wherein two bloggers come together to share their opposing or orthogonal perspectives on an interesting subject.
The debates around the emergence of Rahul Gandhi as the main face of the opposition have become heated after the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Bharat Jodo Yatra, the foot march from Kanyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir, concluded recently. If it was able to make any genuine impact or not is still doubtful.
Our bloggers Palak and Katyayani continue this debate and argue if Gandhi is back in the fray after the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Yes, He Is!
“All of this wasn’t just an act of a play, but instead, a reminder to the current government that they have a strong opposition against them.”
Palak Dogra
It was four months ago when the Bharat Jodo Yatra commenced. From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi, along with his fellow supporters, marched hand in hand.
The Elections
No doubt that Congress’s defeat in Gujarat electoral polls was an embarrassing situation, however, they managed to garner votes in Himachal Pradesh in the assembly elections. This states that the current party at the Centre isn’t just the one ruling all around the nation.
The Congress party didn’t stand for elections in two election-bound states. This led the public and the government to think that now the Congress party is out of politics, however, I feel that Bharat Jodo Yatra is another strategy being used by the party to enter into politics.
The Love From All Directions
Bharat Jodo Yatra is living proof that Rahul Gandhi has been admired by many, as many came in front to march along with him. From well-known celebrities to politicians, a slew of people were seen throughout the months-long march.
Following the step of his ancestors, Rahul Gandhi managed to alter the politics in our country and gave a strong statement that the Narendra Modi-led party isn’t just the only national party.
Bharat Jodo, Not Todo
During the yatra, the Congress party evaded the questions surrounding the yatra’s electoral impact. Yet, they didn’t restrain from stating that, unlike the current government at the centre, Congress is working towards “joining the Bharat”. Their motto is straight out i.e. Congress is willing to unite the nation by bringing together all classes, castes, and faith.
Whether or not Bharat Jodo Yatra was meant to create an electoral impact, what is justified is that with the yatra, Rahul has been able to make an image of his own and has also garnered support from around the country. If he now stands in electoral campaigns, he is sure to give tough competition, and the current ruling party should not commit the mistake of thinking that their opposition is weak.
Also Read: 10 Crazy Facts About Bharat Jodo Yatra
No, He Is Not
“Doing a foot march and harping criticism on the Prime Minister does not provide an alternative vision of the nation.”
Katyayani Joshi
Rahul Gandhi is seen to have risen to power with Bharat Jodo Yatra, as according to Congress leaders, he has been able to shed his image of Pappu. He has become a serious politician who has a vision for the country, but he has nothing to offer more. Here’s why.
Rahul Gandhi – The Face Of The Yatra
In pictures of the Yatra, we find Rahul Gandhi tying the shoelaces of his mother, playing with children, hugging elderly women affectionately, and playing football. In short, a person who is one of the common and empathetic to people’s needs. We do not see anything new.
Competing Narendra Modi in showing himself as a son, or an empathetic person, Rahul Gandhi forgot to show his vision for the India he is vouching for.
Rahul Gandhi has not been able to reinvent himself as a politician who has a vision for the country. Rahul Gandhi, in his press conferences, has only talked of removing Modi from power and criticizing his policies. This is the same old Rahul Gandhi we are seeing since 2014.
Internal Politics In The Party
The internal divisive politics going on in the party leads us to the question of Bharat Jodo to Congress Jodo Yatra. If Rahul Gandhi tries to figure out the reason behind the bitterness inside the party leaders, then he might get an idea of what goes into uniting the nation.
Just bringing the political leaders -Sachin Pilot, and Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, DK Shivkumar, and Siddaramaiah of Karnataka, together in a frame does not mean that the party is free from division. Rahul Gandhi must find a way to resolve the issues inside the party.
Support For Bharat Jodo Yatra
There have been many participants in the yatra- Raghuram Rajan, Mrs. Lankesh, Swara Bhaskar, Kamal Hassan, Pooja Bhatt, Aditya Thakare, Tushar Gandhi, and many other big faces who have maintained their stance against the ruling government.
Gandhi has not been able to garner support outside this ecosystem. The people supporting and participating in the Yatra, are more or less the extended ecosystem of the Congress party. He has not breached any political boundaries in the Yatra.
All these reasons are enough to say that Rahul Gandhi is trying hard to counter his image of an elite, who is cut off from his roots, but he is not being seen as an opposition to the mammoth Modi, who has been ruling the masses with his vision of New India, rather than wasting his energy on building his image.
The bloggers cannot have a consensus on this. What do you think of the debate? Tell us in the comments below.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: The Print, The Wire, Bloggers’ own opinion
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: Rahul Gandhi, Congress, Bharat Jodo Yatra, Narendra Modi, politics, prime minister, alternate vision, masses, opposition, Kashmir, Kanyakumari, ecosystem, Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Karnataka, internal politics, Sonia Gandhi, elections, foot march
Disclaimer: We do not hold any right, or copyright over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
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