Rahul Gandhi: Not ready yet

New Delhi, June 12: It was the gift that the Congress had hoped to present Rahul Gandhi with on his birthday on June 19: a formal induction in the party organisation as a general secretary in charge of the frontal outfits. But it seems the Congress will have to tuck the gift away for another day.

Congress sources maintained the Amethi MP was in “no hurry” to take on an organisational responsibility. “He wants to define his own role in the party and in politics,” they said.

For now, Rahul, said the sources, was happy minding Amethi, where he has started an NGO to promote self-employment for women. He also travelled extensively in the country, was apparently taken up with the Northeast and when in Delhi, spent time interacting with students, academics and social activists. He also reserved Tuesdays to interact with the people of Amethi in his office on Gurdwara Raqabganj Road.

“He likes to work at his own pace and doesn’t want to be pushed around,” said a source.

There are two views in the party on a position for Rahul. One section felt the expectations of the workers were fuelled with an announcement made at the AICC plenary in Hyderabad last January that Rahul would be inducted in the organisation shortly.

There was an instant clamour from the Uttar Pradesh delegates that he should be made a general secretary then and there. They were assured that although they may have to wait for now, it will not be for long.

Sources said the longer the “suspense” over Rahul lasted, the greater the chances of a loss of interest in him.

“We should strike while the iron is hot,” said a leader, adding that he should have been brought in immediately after Sonia Gandhi won the Rae Bareli election last month. Rahul had managed the exercise and it was supposed to have been a test of sorts for him because it was his first foray outside Amethi.

There was feedback that the people of Amethi were getting “fed up” with him for not taking an interest in their problems such as the lack of power and water.

“There is no point blaming the state government all the time. Rahul should plunge himself directly in a battle against Mulayam Singh Yadav,” said a Uttar Pradesh functionary.

On the flip side, sources claimed Rahul was not doing anything “unusual” by not accepting a responsibility. “He is acting in the family tradition,” said sources.

They recalled that although Jawaharlal Nehru had brought his daughter, Indira Gandhi, in the party in 1959, she was just another member without an assignment. It was after Nehru’s death that she became a minister in Lal Bahadur Shastri’s cabinet.

They said Rajiv Gandhi, too, would have continued as another Congress functionary had it not been for Indira’s untimely death which catapulted him to the top. “The family does not need positions of power and patronage to establish its importance. It’s enough to be a member of the family,” stressed sources, citing Sonia Gandhi spurning prime ministership as the “supreme” example.

The other opinion was since Sonia was riding the crest of her popularity, there was no “tearing hurry” to bring in Rahul. “He’s our trump card and we don’t want to over expose him yet,” said a functionary.