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Sonia Gandhi in Politics: Impact on Indian Scene

by Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury
***Arguably, Sonia did not jump on the political bandwagon when it appeared opportune, after the death of her husband, but waited for long six years. She needed this because she had to dispel whatever scepticism or even misgivings existed about her ability, to lead the Congress, as a foreigner who was not earlier in this milieu before Rajiv's death.***
FINALLY. Mrs Sonia Gandhi. widow of Rajiv Gandhi. has set at rest all speculations of her formally joining politics. However, her joining the Congress has come as no surprise as the development was very much on the cards. It was only a matter of time when she would finally and formally join the political party of which her husband was the president. Rajiv Gandhi was not only the president of the Congress but also one of the charismatic prime ministers of India. But. possibly, his links with the politically illustrious Nehru family was the main factor in his becoming both leader of the Congress and head of the government. This is a long family chain that was abruptly ended with the death of Rajiv Gandhi six years ago by a suicide bomber while campaigning for the national elections in the southern Tamil Nadu state. Rajiv was the eldest son of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the longest serving prime minister of India only after her father Jawharlal Nehru, the first prime minister
of the country after independence in 1947.
Nehru, his daughter Indira and her son Rajiv — all adorned the post of the prime ministership of India in great fashion and the death of Rajiv at a time when he was widely expected to become the prime minister again came as a bolt from the blue not only for the congress but also for the Nehru dynasty. There was none really left to carry on the historic legacy in Kilties of India and Congress cause his daughter Priyanka and son Rahul were then relatively young and were not groomed up exactly in the political process. The only choice was then to fill the vacuum was obviously the widow of Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv had no brother and sister as the only brother Sanjay had already died in a stunt plane crash in capital New Delhi. When younger Sanjay died, he was the general secretary of the Congress and a member of parliament. It was clear that he was being groomed up as a possible successor to his mother, who was then prime
minister of India for the second stint. Rajiv Gandhi, after the death of his brother, was initially hesitant to Join politics as he was working as a commercial pilot in the Indian Airlines. He had also denied speculations that he would join politics and wear the mantle of his late brother. But he softened his stance mainly because of his mother's desire and also for the demands of the Congressmen that Mrs. Gandhi should now bring her only surviving son into politics both for linkages with the Nehru family and future leadership of the Congress.
Needless to say. the Congress has always derived pride out of party’s long association with
the Nehru family. Rajiv Joined politics and became a member of parliament from his brother's Amethl constituency in the Uttar Pradesh and became general secretary of the party. Later, when Mrs. Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. a fluid situation developed in the Indian political scene as there was hardly any second person in the line who could succeed her as the prime minister. Evidently, the choice was Rajiv, who rushed from Calcutta where he was on a visit. He remained in helm for both government and the Congress but lost power later mainly for speculations about his involvement in the Bofors
arms deal. He was expected to return to power in the 1991 national elections but was killed by the Tamil militants. However. his party did form the government at the centre, to an extent by riding the crest of sympathy wave caused by Rajivs death.
But the removal of Rajiv Gandhi from the political scene of India triggered off speculations as to who would fill the void because the psyche of the Indian and more particularly Congress politics was rightly or wrongly to a great extent nad become synonymous with the Nehru family. It sounds funny in a way because a country of so many people is unexpected to rely so much politically on a family. If the country did not, certainly the party did, and this has always been manifested in the character of the congress. When Rajiv died, he was the Congress president and most partymen Immediately wanted Sonia, his Italian wife, to take up the legacy. But Sonia was lukewarm if not reluctant since she was not prepared for this situation. Not unexpectedly, she needed time to absorb the shock of husband's assassination, look after two children and,
understandably, assess the political scenario before taking a decision about her future strategy. She would have become the official key figure in the Congress and also could have catapulted herself to the zenith of power which is the prime ministership at that time since partymen were asking her to play that role. But Sonia in a matured demonstration of patience. checked her ambitions and let the party to deal with the situation by the experienced leaders without relying on her and fortunes smiled on P V Narasimha Rao. who emerged as the prime minister and was there for full five years.
But Sonia did not fully distance herself from the Congress affairs as often the senior party leaders looked for her guidance and blessings. Several leaders Including present Congress president Sitaram Kesri, former strongman Arjun Singh and present general secretary
Golam Nabi Azad kept close contacts with her and sought her advice in party matters. But It was not the case with Mr. Narasimha Rao. whose ties with Sonia were not that cordial as Rao must have strived to rely more on his own abilities and project himself as the leader of the Congress. When Arjun Singh and Narain Dutta Tiwari left the Congress taking an anti-Rao posture, it was widely believed that Sonia had approval of such move. However, both the dissidents returned to Congressfold, but only after Rao was weakened and his ascendancy In the organisation was curtailed. Finally, Rao was removed from both the positions of the party presidentship and leader of the parliamentary party.
As the Congress lost power in the last elections and Rao had to relinquish two key positions, looked for charisma and prospects to return to power. But present leaders are unlikely to provide this as it was evident from the wrong strategy of Sitaram Kesri when he withdrew support from the United Front government of Deve Gowda but failed to bring the party to power. It is increasingly dawning on in Congress circles that Sonia, whose patience and pragmatic approach to politics is admired by most partymen. can provide tor the need of the hour to the vast organisation which has bickering over leadership while despondency has gripped it. Congress needs sound leadership when the new UF government also
faces instability as ft again depended for survival on Congress support. Time is very much decisive for Congress and it has done what was expected.
Arguably, Sonia did not Jump on the political bandwagon when it appeared opportune, after the death of her husband. but waited for long six years.
She needed this because she had to dispel whatever scepticism or even misgivings existed about her ability, to lead the Congress, as a foreigner who was not earlier in this milieu before Rajivs death. Sonia developed contacts with partymen during this interregnum and allowed an impression to gain ground that she was not desperate to become a Congress leader or prime minister. The time was good omen for her when she formally joined politics and Congress. She is expected to take up bigger responsibility of the party in the future once she is now in the game. Congress may look for revitalisation of the organisation with a new sense of inspiration since infighting and bickering is hardly possible with Rajiv's wife or Indira’s daughter-in-law in the helm. The party may also look to a brighter future for governing the country again whether it will be through the next general elections after about four years or any snap election that may occur, and Congress can always make it occur because the survival of the UF government depends on it. Sonia factor will now weigh more heavily on Indian scene.