While Rahul Gandhi’s return to Parliament has been welcomed by the bloc, a few Congress leaders projecting him as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s main challenger and a possible PM candidate is making some opposition parties squirm
It is Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s big day in the Lok Sabha, as he gets ready to speak on the no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government on Tuesday. But along with the political euphoria over his return to Parliament also come the many challenges that he faces as he will take on the government and the Prime Minister.
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First and most important is how to keep the flock of the INDIA opposition bloc together and also ensure that no one sulks. This even more so as it’s clear that the Congress plans to revel in Rahul Gandhi’s return and also make it the fulcrum of its campaign for not just the state polls coming up but also the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The return of Rahul Gandhi is being used to project him as the only fearless leader who takes on PM Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party and he suffered as he had “dared to question him”. Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, “All his qualities do make him a fit candidate for the PM post and he is the only one who can take on the Prime Minister as well.”
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But this positioning of the Wayanad MP is making some opposition parties squirm. Will this mean that he will subtly and not so subtly be pushed by the Congress as the face of the INDIA front or at least its leader? This is where Rahul Gandhi faces the challenge. He has to make it clear to his INDIA front colleagues that his battle was for the entire opposition and not just the Congress.
But the bigger challenge that Rahul Gandhi faces is more one which affects his party. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister is bound to rip into the opposition and Rahul Gandhi. BJP sources say that they do want Rahul Gandhi to be in the House during the motion and this in fact suits them. The PM attacking the Congress leader would make for good optics in the 2024 Modi versus Gandhi fight that the grand old party is gearing up for.
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Also, as many opposition parties like the Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress Party prefer to be with the BJP, it shows that while Rahul Gandhi may have grown in stature after his return, the INDIA front is still not attractive enough for more opposition parties to join.
The challenge and game have just begun for Rahul Gandhi.
