Editorial: A proxy president

Status quoism has won over change. Family loyalty has prevailed over any out-of-the-box experimentation. The election of Mallikarjun Kharge, the octogenarian leader from Karnataka, as the Congress president, the first outside the Gandhi family in over two decades, comes as an unequivocal signal that the grand old party is very much under the grip of […]

Status quoism has won over change. Family loyalty has prevailed over any out-of-the-box experimentation. The election of Mallikarjun Kharge, the octogenarian leader from Karnataka, as the Congress president, the first outside the Gandhi family in over two decades, comes as an unequivocal signal that the grand old party is very much under the grip of its first family. Kharge was in the race as an ‘unofficial official’ candidate, which meant that he had the blessings of the high command. Never mind its public stance of neutrality in the election process. The overwhelming majority of votes garnered by Kharge — 7,897 of the 9,385 votes cast — shows that the high command culture continues to thrive in a party that desperately needs a drastic overhaul of the organisation. Shashi Tharoor, the suave and articulate former diplomat and author who has a strong connect with the middle classes, represents the voice for change. Unlike Kharge, a conventional, old-school Congressman who swears by his loyalty to the Gandhi family, Tharoor had unveiled a specific agenda to revive the party in tune with the changing times but could not cut through the rigid and well-entrenched system built on patronage from the top. The presidential election was tainted by the allegations levelled by Tharoor’s team that ‘extremely serious irregularities’ took place on voting day in Uttar Pradesh, the State with the highest number of PCC delegates. The major challenge before Kharge, who has openly said he would be guided by Sonia Gandhi’s advice, is to dispel the notion that he is a mere figurehead and a potential scapegoat for any future electoral losses.

Though a non-Gandhi leader is now at the helm, the Gandhis are unlikely to loosen their stranglehold on the party. In fact, there were barely disguised attempts by the party to find a candidate who would represent the existing centre of gravity of power — the Gandhi family. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was the first choice but then the mantle fell on Kharge after embarrassing developments rocked the party’s Rajasthan unit. With the Congress’ national footprint dwindling and its position as the premier opposition party in jeopardy, there is a need for organisational reforms, decentralisation of decision-making process and encouraging strong regional leaders. How the Kharge-led party performs in the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal later this year will have a bearing on its prospects in the 2024 general elections. It has to be seen how Kharge goes about making decisions and ushering in changes as every decision of his will be under the scanner. He has a tough task of asserting his independence so that he is not viewed as a proxy of the Gandhis. While maintaining the status quo is easy, the biggest challenge before Kharge is to transform the party to reconnect with the people and start winning elections again.