In the fight against Modi, Priyanka Gandhi has to find her ‘Michelle Obama moment’
New Delhi, Jan 23: The run-up to the Lok Sabha election 2019 saw an exciting twist on Wednesday, January 23, when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed as the Congress's general secretary for East UP, a key political region because of the presence of two BJP heavyweights - Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Pitting Priyanka against them could have been the best possible move by the Grand Old Party for it has not been included in the mega alliance between two major state parties - the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) - and neither does it have any strong local face to capitalise on.
The entry of Priyanka Gandhi in the political arena ahead of the key election, a loss in which could be permanently damaging for party president Rahul Gandhi's career, is something big for the Congress. It is not that the 47-year-old Priyanka is seen in politics for the first time for she has taken care of her brother and mother's campaigning a number of times in the past but this is the first time that she will do it as an active politician. A probability of a Modi versus Priyanka contest could also be not ruled out and that, if turns out to be true, will be the biggest optics this election season.
The BJP has not found anything exciting in Priyanka's entry and called it something natural to expect in a party controlled by dynasts. But the entry of Priyanka might not be just about dynasticism but also an apolitical doing politics and that stance, if utilised well, could give the Congress a revival course if not electoral wins.
Michelle Obama, despite being an apolitical, made a big impact on the political
The example of Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States, can be recalled here. Michelle, who has recently been voted as the most admired woman in the country, has always been a personality who despite her apolitical stance, made powerful statements that mattered in politics. For instance, she had coined the most memorable slogan of the 2016 presidential election in the US and it was "When they go low, we go high". There was no direct mention of President Donald Trump and his public words and behaviour, some of which were sexually oppressive.
But yet, through that one line at an electoral convention, Michelle proved that one need not be a hard core politician to show other politicians the mirror. There was a moral angle to her version and the people connected with it instantly.
Priyanka Gandhi similarly can opt for such a strategy. She might be a novice in active politics, miles behind in experience and electioneering than the Modis, Yogis and Amit Shahs, but she can yet make a difference by taking a 'high ground' as like Michelle and that would help the Congress in the long run. There is no dearth of issues afterall in India, all the more not over the last few years.
Can Priyanka make use of the opportunity she got smartly?