Though he’s a key adviser of
Rahul Gandhi,
Sachin Rao, who has Mangalurean roots, is reluctant to admit it. This native of Udupi was born and brought up in Mumbai. After a computer science degree and an MBA from the Michigan Business School, he has been working in youth political space for the past 10 years.
Excerpts:
* From science to management to politics, what was the turning point?
It was reading Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography. In the second page, he says he had a crisis at 30 about his search for relevance. I too had no sense of fulfillment. In the second last page, Gandhi makes a statement that intrigued me -- the only profession open for a person on this path is politics. Until then, I had absolutely no understanding or exposure to politics. After my MBA in 2004, I returned to India, spent time travelling in rural areas, farmer-distressed areas and urban slums. I saw poverty in India at close quarters and that got me asking why the poor are poor, why schemes don’t work, who has power, etc. The problem was distribution of power and they had no voice. We have to work on continuous redistribution of power in society and that’s only possible through politics.
* Why did you choose the Congress?
I had no skills or experience. But the vision for the society was clear. India should live as one country, share and grow together. The core issue was empowerment of people. The only party which had it in its DNA was the Congress. Secondly, somebody introduced me to the party leadership in 2005. It had one of the clearest thought processes with respect to how the country works, the meaning of its politics.
* What is your current role?
I don’t have a formal role. While building a system which delivered internal democracy to the
Youth Congress, I conducted youth leadership training, helped youngsters understand politics. These days, I conduct sessions for young politicians at Sevagram Ashram, Wardha where we reflect on politics and how we can save country from fascist forces.
* What perspective have you given Rahul Gandhi on Karnataka polls?
I don’t know enough about Karnataka politics to give that perspective. There’s enough leadership to do that.
* Rahul is emphasizing giving tickets to youths. How will you balance youth with experience?
I don’t speak for Rahul Gandhi. The world is not made of perfect human beings, but humans with good intentions. You can have good intention and work your hardest towards it. I have no doubt his intentions and efforts are exceptional. And he’s the reason for me joining the party.
* What about his vision of women empowerment and their winnability factor?
Take a look at Youth Congress elections from the past seven or eight years in which we reserved positions for women, youngsters, Dalits, tribals, marginalized communities and worked to construct a new generation within the Congress.
* What has changed in the past couple of years that we’re seeing a new Rahul Gandhi?
There’s a need to deconstruct theatre of politics. Where Rahul Gandhi didn’t get our attention is he did not conform to our theatre of politics. But he has been always a serious politician. We’re defining politics according to our political theatre. But he’ll always be dictated by the people of India and his conscience.
* Recently, NCC cadets were bemused with Rahul when he said he was unaware of the training and benefits of the NCC...
He’s fearless about talking to people, accepting unscripted questions from large audiences. It’s our diminished social space that we pick on that occasional time in which he doesn’t please us.
* Have you been observing politics of divisiveness on the coast?
Not from close quarters, but it’ll spell disaster if it continues and people do not reject it.
