M A I N   N E W S

Ready for the big role, hints Rahul
Tribune News Service

RahulSpeak No one in my family has ever worked for power…my father, my grandmother, no one I am a Congress soldier, I will follow the party’s orders and do what the party says My question, however, is why our entire argument is stuck at the post of a PM?

New Delhi, January 14
Ahead of the January 17 AICC session where a decision is expected to be taken on the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress’ prime ministerial candidate, the party vice-president has said he will do whatever the party asks him to, but has not quite understood this national fixation about the post of the Prime Minister.

“No one in my family has ever worked for power…my father, my grandmother no one,” he said in an interview to a Hindi daily.

On questions about whether he would accept the responsibility of becoming Congress’ PM candidate instead of exhibiting his usual reluctance, Rahul made two points. In one breath, he said he would do whatever the party wanted him to do. In the other, he wondered why the whole debate in the elections was around the PM’s post.

Although some in political circles are interpreting Rahul’s statement as a strong indication that he is willing to accept PM’s responsibility, if given; others feel Rahul has made a balanced statement saying he will discharge “any role given by the party”. In saying so, Rahul has, in fact, voiced the ongoing division in the Congress about his elevation as the party’s PM face.

“I am a Congress soldier. I will follow party’s orders and do what the party says. My question, however, is why our entire argument is stuck at the post of a PM? Why do we discuss one individual and one post all the time? Why don’t we talk of political reform or of changes in the political system,” Rahul said.

“We are a democratic institution. People of India will choose their MPs and they will choose the PM. A Congress rule will be in India’s interest and to make the Congress come back, I will discharge the responsibility in the organisation as I have been asked to do. In future, I will earnestly do whatever duty the party wants me to do.”

The Gandhi scion also vehemently argued that he was not averse to accepting responsibilities even though he has been seen to be reluctant. Claiming that the Congress would better than estimated, Rahul said, “The BJP is about one individual and the Aam Aadmi Party has done some of what we wanted to do, but they are looking at short-term gains unlike us who look at people’s future.”

Within the party, some seniors are of the view that no great gain will be forthcoming by declaring Rahul as the PM candidate of the Congress. But the young brigade in the party is desperate for a change.