Kharge has been with the Congress from the socialist era of Indira Gandhi to the neo-liberal era of Manmohan Singh. Now the challenge before the party is to open a new era. Will Kharge be able to contribute to organizing it?
No question can be raised on the political experience and qualifications of Mallikarjun Kharge. But in the difficult times in which he has taken over the reins of Congress, the question definitely exists that how much hope should this party attach to him. The Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi has changed the grammar and reference point of India’s politics. This has made the RSS thinking over a large part of the Hindu psyche and the BJP government almost dominating the political system. The good news for the Congress is that its leader, Rahul Gandhi, has given concrete indications of his understanding of the situation in recent years. That is why instead of doing politics in traditional ways, he has chosen the difficult and austere path of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. It is also good that Congress leaders are not attaching any hope of immediate revival of their party to this visit. Rather they say that it is a long journey.
It is hoped that Kharge will also be aware of this reality. They will also realize that the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is continuously raising the moral and political stature of Rahul Gandhi. Due to this, even without holding any post, he will remain in the position of the highest leader of the party. The challenge before Kharge is to create such a role amidst these realities, so that he can leave his mark despite all the limitations and problems. The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ has broken the impasse between the BJP’s domination to an extent. Despite this, this yatra has not yet succeeded in putting such an agenda or dream in front of the country, so that people can get excited and look at the Congress as a future option. It is at this point that Kharge plays an important role. Kharge has been with the Congress from the socialist era of Indira Gandhi to the neo-liberal era of Manmohan Singh. Now the challenge before the party is to open a new era. So the question is, will Kharge be able to make any contribution in organizing it?
