‘Two kinds of horses’: Rahul Gandhi explains Congress strategy in Gujarat
Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, which began on 15 April, to kick off a pilot initiative aimed at strengthening the party’s grassroots network.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday outlined the Congress party's plans to strengthen its position in Gujarat, saying that only the Congress can take on and defeat the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP.
“We seem demoralised in Gujarat, but we will defeat them (BJP) in the state,” he said, adding that the transformation would begin from Gujarat. The Congress has decided to introduce new leadership in the state to address internal challenges, he added.
Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat that began on 15 April, made the comments while speaking at the Congress district workers’ convention in Modasa.
He explained that the ongoing effort to revamp the party has been under discussion for several months, including with senior leaders and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
“This ongoing fight is not just political, it is also ideological. And people know that only the Congress party can defeat the RSS and the BJP,” Gandhi said.
In the meeting with district leaders, Gandhi acknowledged the need for internal change within the Congress. He said that destructive competition among leaders and the exclusion of local leaders from ticket distribution were key concerns raised during the discussions.
“We have decided that some changes need to be brought in the Congress party. I met with senior leaders from the districts, and we had a very good discussion. They told me that competition among leaders is destructive, and not productive. They also mentioned that local leaders are not included in the ticket distribution process,” he said.
Gandhi calls for right leadership roles
Gandhi used a metaphor to illustrate the leadership challenges within the party, saying, “There are two kinds of horses, one meant for races and one for weddings. People told me that Congress sometimes sends the wedding horse to the race and the racing horse to the wedding,” emphasising the need to assign the right roles to the right leaders.
He further added, “We want to separate these horses. Our discussions led to the conclusion that districts should be run locally, and there must be a stronger connection between candidates and the organisation.”
Gandhi critiqued the current approach, saying, “Someone told me that when senior leaders come from Ahmedabad, people show up for a couple of days like magic, and once the leader leaves, they disappear again. Ye senior neta bane ghoom rahe hain magar booth nahi jeeta pate hain (These senior leaders roam around but can't win booths)”
Gandhi also pointed out another internal issue, saying, “There are many people who are aligned with the BJP; we need to identify them and gently distance them from the party.”
