Back from a nearly two-month-long sabbatical, Rahul Gandhi has spoken, in remarkably quick succession, at a party rally and in the newly reconvened Parliament. The subject of both public interventions — rural distress in general, and specifically the NDA government’s proposed amendments to the UPA’s land acquisition act — is a central concern of this moment, and one that demands greater discussion and serious deliberation. Yet, the fact that Rahul spoke at all has overshadowed what he said, and for that, he must bear much of the responsibility. At the Ramlila Maidan and in Lok Sabha, he broke a long silence that was as unexplained as it was inexplicable. That the Congress vice president — or its president-in-waiting — was missing in action, in the street and in the House, created needless scenarios of suspense and reflected poorly not only on him and his party, but also on the state of the Opposition.
Rahul’s comeback may mean that the Congress finally gets a leader who is not reluctant to lead, but for the party, a difficult path lies ahead. It needs to deal with the challenge of organisational renewal, while holding the Modi government to account, and also updating its political shibboleths in a time of fast-paced change, with competition heating up in the opposition space. Rahul has spoken, and that is good, but he and his party have much to do.
