The current makeover that the Congress scion is undergoing smacks of opportunism. The country has been waiting for long to see what Rahul Gandhi has to offer. He must understand that there is only so much that a PR team and senior party leaders can do and that he has to lead from there. Though it is commendable that he is trying very hard to get rid of his privileged, rich boy persona by toning down his comments and making them more suitable for the common man, he must show the country what he can do for his people, his ideology and how he deal with our many problems. Making random remarks such as calling GST as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ speaks ill of an Opposition party that in principle should come out with constructive criticism. The Congress cannot wait for the country to crumble and then step in. It should come out with counter proposals and give citizens a sense of what else can be done in a situation. Neither mocking the government nor mud slinging will lead Rahul Gandhi anywhere, technology or without technology (Editorial – “#Makeover”, October 31).
Vrinda Rajvanshi,
New Delhi
Does Mr. Gandhi’s makeover deserve an editorial in The Hindu? The Gandhi scion’s sudden active presence on social media has not been without controversy. The sudden and huge jump in the number of his followers is suspicious. While social media is a strong medium to connect with the online masses, a leader also requires potential or dynamism. He or she also needs vision, commitment and be hardworking — requisites which Mr. Gandhi lacks. The perception is that most of his thoughts and even speeches are based on inputs provided by the party think tank. He does not seem to have grasped the core principles of politics and ground realities in the country.
N. Sadhasiva Reddy,
Bengaluru
Rahul Gandhi’s political career has typically been characterised by sporadic spurts of activism followed by spells of inactivity. One is never sure whether he is on an extended political apprenticeship or whether he has matured as a seasoned politician. The very fact that he needs props such as social media blitzkriegs, conducted foreign tours, assisted script writing, and tagline creations reflect a lack of confidence and political imagination. His humour appears banal because it is not his forte.
His greatest disadvantage is the lack of a performance scorecard as a minister. Nothing tests a leader’s calibre as a stint in power. He has been on record comparing power to poison. He squandered every opportunity that came his way to join the government during the UPA’s 10-year rule. He has demonised demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax without outlining any alternative economic vision. His contrived self-deprecatory posturings hardly hide his entitlement mindset that is rooted in dynastic succession. The point is a leader who depends too much on marketing tools to assert his relevance can catch media headlines but ‘launching a thousand votes’ on election day needs the solid backing of performance in government.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
Social media in India is still in its infancy and not in a position to influence the outcome of an election, unlike in the U.S. The percentage of Indians on social media is said to be hardly 15%. The electoral fortunes in India are still dictated by the ordinary citizens. Rahul Gandhi might have made a big leap in terms of social media following in recent times, but its impact on elections may not be significant. The majority of voters make their choice based on their understanding of the economic programmes announced by a party and the faith they repose in a party to translate those programmes into ground-level action. Of course, there are many other factors such as the track record of the party, influence of the local leaders, inducements, etc., apart from the all-encompassing caste factor. The Indian National Congress cannot expect a change in its electoral fortunes unless it comes up with credible alternative economic programmes that would strike a chord with people and which seeks to uplift the poor and benefit the middle classes.
Kosaraju Chandramouli,
Hyderabad
Unlike in the past, over the last couple of weeks, Rahul Gandhi’s protests and criticisms against the BJP, particularly on the state of India’s economy, seem to have more bite in them. After his recent visit to the U.S., one can see a huge transformation — from a confused, novice politician, who was still learning the ropes and being the butt of all jokes, to a witty politician, capable of giving it back as good as it came. His speeches have the spark to them. His elevation to the post of party president — which would have polarised opinion until last year — is being seen in a positive light today. His attacks on the ruling BJP are now more nuanced, cultured, and more effective. One of the main reasons why there is so much of optimism about his second coming is his social media transformation. On Twitter, the ‘Office of RG (@officeOfRG)’ handle is on a roll. His speeches at Berkeley and Princetonwere perceived as a refreshing new take by a party that was hitherto seen as inimical to the idea of change.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
The Congress party is not what it used to be once upon a time. Standards have been dropping. The strategy of revamping its social media department is a strategy that is a bit too late and uncalled for. The fact that political leaders are resorting to humour to gain social media attention is in itself a bad strategy. While humour in good doses may prove effective, what the Congress really needs to concentrate on is its policies and agenda for the coming elections.
Amal Anzari,
Ernakulam, Kerala