Incredible Rae Bareli

It has been barely a year since a Nehru-Gandhi dynasty returned to Rae Bareli, but a transformation is already visible. Tourism officials ar...

It has been barely a year since a Nehru-Gandhi dynasty returned to Rae Bareli, but a transformation is already visible. Tourism officials are being redeployed to the Congress8217;s first constituency, tasked with finalising plans for remodelling its hospitality infrastructure. A lavish ITDC allocation of Rs 5.8 crore will presumably ease Sonia Gandhi8217;s Lok Sabha constituency on to the Incredible India circuit. That is good. Uttar Pradesh, outside of its Taj and pilgrimage loops, has unfortunately not been enabled to reap the benefits of tourism. For Rae Bareli, Gandhi8217;s decision to shift constituencies from neighbouring Amethi in the 2004 general elections has clearly been fortuitous. For the Congress party, however, there must be some disturbing questions.

In the zeal shown by the ITDC, which falls under Renuka Chowdhury8217;s tourism ministry, to proceed without waiting for sanction from the state government can be gleaned yet again evidence of a corrosive culture of sycophancy. It will, of course, remain the Congress8217;s internal matter to decide whether concentrating the party8217;s efforts on the Family8217;s electoral domain is impeding its dreams for revival in all of Uttar Pradesh. It is, however, disturbing that obsequious interventions like Chowdhury8217;s appear to hamper accountability of party leaders who hold public office. As The Sunday Express first reported recently, Chowdhury8217;s decision to blackball a liquor firm from ITDC8217;s procurement options for duty free shops raised grave questions about procedure. Therefore, when the same ITDC bypasses normal diligence in attaining project sanction from the state government before fast-tracking its proposals, inferences are bound to be drawn. Is the ministry8217;s alacrity aimed at appeasing the Congress president? Will Chowdhury8217;s keen interest in her constituency8217;s concerns place her that much beyond the demands of accountability by the Union government?

The Congress needs to be particularly sensitive to these perceptions. The architecture of this UPA government gives the Congress president extraordinary power. It, in turn, demands of her great transparency in how she and her constituency deal with those who hold government office.