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poliTiCs
eleCTion 2018

ders of Rahul Gandhi. While the working president can take care
of day-to-day work, Rahul can focus on the bigger picture and try saChin pilot
to rejuvenate the party. Sachin Pilot is currently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of
Here are some likely probable: Rajasthan and is also the President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Con-
Dr. Manmohan Singh gress Committee. He was previously a member of the Lok Sabha
The grand old party can bank on a veteran with a dis- from Ajmer and Dausa in Rajasthan and the youngest member
tinguished track record –Dr. Manmohan Singh. An ac- of parliament when he was elected from the latter seat in 2004,
claimed economist, he served as the Prime Minis- aged 26. A front-runner, according to many Congress watchers,
ter from 2004-2014, the first prime minister to be there is a lot going for him. He is articulate, is rooted and more
re-elected after completing a full five-year term. After obtain- than anything else has political capital. He has age on his side; at
ing his doctorate in economics from Oxford, Singh worked 41 years he can connect with the youth. The old guard will look
for the United Nations during 1966–69. Over the 70s and 80s,
Dr. Manmohan Singh held several key posts as Chief Eco-
nomic Advisor (1972–76), RBI Governor (1982–85) and head of speculation is rife on
the Planning Commission (1985–87). In 1991, as India faced a
severe meltdown of economy, the then Prime Minister, the need to put in place
P.V.Narasimha Rao inducted the apolitical Singh into his cabinet
as the Union Finance Minister, who carried out several structural an interim arrangement
reforms to liberalise the economy. He also served as the Leader of
Opposition in the upper house during 1998–2004. In 2004, when for the decision making,

the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came to power, its specially in the run-up
chairperson Sonia Gandhi asked Dr. Manmohan Singh to take over
as the Prime Minister. to assembly elections in
The 2009 Lok Sabha elections, saw the UPA return with an in-
creased mandate, with Singh retaining the office of Prime Minis- Haryana, Jharkhand and
ter. He enjoys impeccable reputation and credentials and can be a
good choice to bring Congress back on rails. Maharashtra later this
year if Rahul doesn’t relent
Capt amaRindeR singh
Capt Amarinder Singh too who can be considered for the top post.
With the party doing quite well in Kerala and Punjab, it’s these
states that Rahul should zero in on for nurturing a new crop of benignly at him as he is the son of Congress stalwart, the late
leadership. Rajesh Pilot.
As for his credentials, he has been the president of Punjab He has also delivered. From 2013, when he was sent
Pradesh Congress Committee and has also previously served as to Rajasthan to rebuild the Congress, he assiduous-
the Chief Minister of Punjab from 2002-2007. His father was the ly stuck to his job. He was the chief ministerial face of
last Maharaja of the Patiala princely state. He also served in the In- the party going into the 2018 assembly polls. He deliv-
dian Army from 1963 to 1966. Nothing less than a purge will do for ered Rajasthan to the Congress but saw Ashok Gehlot
the Congress party. The party will have to act ruthlessly against all offered the chief minister’s chair. And, more importantly, he has
those general secretaries and state unit chiefs who came a cropper. the ears of Rahul Gandhi. His appointment would surely rejuve-
After all, Rahul was not solely responsible for the debacle. nate the near-moribund Congress party. This may also put an end
Priyanka Gandhi’s contention that her brother was abandoned to inner-party tussle in Rajasthan.
by party stalwarts during his fight against Narendra Modi under-
scores the fact that there were enemies within. If the Congress JyotiRaditya sCindia
undertakes course correction with sincerity and determination, it Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia is from the Scindia fam-
might rise from the ashes sooner rather than later. ily that once ruled in Gwalior and has represented the Guna

tehelka / 30 june 2019 17 www.tehelka.com