Congress to follow in Rajiv’s footsteps

In that sense, Sonia will be aiming to make her late husband’s concepts practically relevant at a crucial time in the party’s history. So far, Sonia has referred to Rajiv in every important speech she has made and tomorrow will be no exception. With the crucial difference that now Sonia is fully into active politics and every Congressmen will be looking forward to what she has to say tomorrow. But there is an element of caution too in the way Sonia isapproaching the first death anniversary of her husband after she became party president. Subtle hints have been sent across in the party that there will be no hype on this front tomorrow, leaving Sonia’s speech as the important thing.

In keeping with what she has done since 1991, Sonia will take part in just the evening meeting at the Congress headquarters. She will also be at the morning’s traditional prayer meeting at Rajiv’s memorial here but that’s it. Programmes organised by frontal organisations like the NSUI, Youth Congress and the Mahila Morcha will be dealt with like in the past, irrespective of Sonia’s position as the party chief.

As always, Sriperumbudur will remain a private memory meaning Sonia hasn’t planned any visit there. But what Rajiv had said during his tenure as party president will, perhaps, start taking shape now. The basic line is a difficult one for the Congress: a return to the grassroots with no compromise on the hard work needed.

Rural India could apparently be one of thefocal points with Rajiv’s concept of panchayati raj forming the bulk of what the Congress worker is expected to take to the villages. Sonia has already asked one of the AICC secretaries, Mani Shankar Aiyar, a known Rajiv loyalist, to specifically take charge of this subject as a full time job. The difference: this time Sonia is monitoring just about everything and the Congress has been put on the alert to take Rajiv to the people, with some modifications to suit the current demands. Tomorrow will indicate with what intensity this is expected to be done.