A new Rahul Gandhi, an old Congress

Christophe Jaffrelot writes: A new Rahul Gandhi, an old Congress Christophe Jaffrelot February 9, 2023 https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/christophe-jaffrelot-writes-a-new-rahul-gandhi-an-old-congress-8431128 Bharat Jodo Yatra has helped Rahul Gandhi's image. But electoral success for his party is another matter

Can Rahul Gandhi now compete with Modi? He’s certainly a leader for some people. But Modi’s power relies on other pillars. First, there’s the so-called mainstream media’s saturation of the public sphere with his image, the G20 story and so on. Second, Modi’s political resilience is also due to the Sangh Parivar, an organisational backing that Rahul misses given the condition of the Congress party.

While the Bharat Jodo Yatra may not translate to electoral gains in the near future, by returning to the roots of the Congress — as a people’s movement — Rahul has prepared the ground for a different future, something others may (or may not) help him to build, before it’s too late.