Shooting himself in the foot

Unlike the Biblical tale of a prodigal son, the return of a foot-loose family member may not be a cause of great joy to his relatives. In Rahul Gandhi';s case, it can be a source of embarrassment and misgivings.The embarrassment is likely to be caused by speculation about where the not-so-young prince was for nearly two months, what he learnt during the days away from the madding crowd, and whether his ruminations - he is supposed to have taken a course in meditations (vipasana) - have eased the tensions caused by the setbacks suffered by his party from 2013.

On the other hand, the misgivings will be the result of the belief that the heir-apparent has played his last card and that there will be nothing new up his sleeve if the Congress fails to recover from its present dire straits.It is clear that there is no scope for any more dramatic, if peevish, antics. Rahul Gandhi has to either deliver, which means playing a palpable role in reviving the party';s fortunes, or fade away.It can also seem odd that one of Rahul Gandhi';s first public appearances is at a farmers'; rally on the land acquisition law since he was expected to lead the party';s charge on the issue when Parliament was in session. Instead, he disappeared from sight.

For the farmers, therefore, his act of returning to the fray not long after getting off a flight after a long stay abroad can seem like that of a fly-by-night operator who cannot be taken seriously.Apart from the Gandhi scion';s curious travelling habits, what may seem like an uphill task to his supporters are the dissenting voices in the Congress which show that there are party members who have begun to look at him more as a liability than as an asset.Till now, it was an occasional relatively unknown politician calling him a "joker" or another urging mother and son to take a two-year break, which made news. But now, party men of much greater importance have begun speaking out.

If he assumed that by absenting himself, he will jolt the party into realizing his indispensability, he may be in for a surprise because what has happened is that his Houdini act has emboldened those in the party, who never thought much of him but had refrained from speaking out.It is these tremors which appear to have persuaded the Congress to put off his coronation for a later date - probably September - when it was earlier expected that he will don the party president';s mantle by April.The expectation among his supporters probably is that over the next few months, the shock and awe as well as the amusement caused by the vanishing trick will subside.

It is also possible that the rejuvenated leader will come out with all guns blazing, starting with the farmer';s rally, and a more active role in Parliament. After all, even he favours the politics of doles and subsidies.If this is contrasted with the "reformer-in-chief" - in Barack Obama';s words - Narendra Modi';s appeal to the well-off to surrender their gas cylinders, then it is obvious that Rahul Gandhi inhabits a different world from that of the prime minister. To the Congress vice-president, economic reforms have little meaning.

Since Rahul Gandhi';s views reflect those of the Left, it has to be seen where he will meditate over a possible link between the decline of the communist parties and of the Congress.What cannot but engage Rahul';s attention in the coming days, therefore, is not only the matter of those who think that he is not ready for the top job but also the need to clarify his economic ideas. Lessons in oriental mysticism may not of much help in this respect.

By Amulya Ganguli