Describing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a man who has "significantly gained maturity" over the years, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen believes the leader's true test lies in how he leads the Opposition in Parliament during Narendra Modi’s NDA government regime.
Sen, while at his ancestral residence in Bolpur, West Bengal, opined that Rahul's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' not only molded him into a national leader but also enriched India's political landscape.
Recollecting Rahul’s days as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Sen noted how Rahul was once uncertain about his future, with politics not appealing to him at the time.
“I think he (Rahul) is a much more mature person now. I knew him as a young man during his days at Trinity College... the college where I studied and later became its Master. He visited me then and came across as someone unclear about what he wanted to do. Politics didn’t seem to appeal to him then,” Sen reminisced.
The Bharat Ratna awardee acknowledged that Rahul may have faced initial challenges in politics but has evolved significantly, demonstrating a remarkable recent performance.
“He had some difficulty finding his feet initially, but his recent performance has been extraordinarily good. I admire that greatly. Of course, you can’t fight elections based solely on your qualities; it also depends on the country’s situation,” Sen observed.
When asked if he could envision Rahul as India’s next Prime Minister, Sen humorously dodged the question.
“I am not going to answer this (laughs). How people become prime ministers is very difficult to predict. If someone had asked me during my student days in Delhi who among my peers was least likely to become prime minister, I would have named Manmohan Singh. He showed no interest in politics then, yet he went on to become an excellent prime minister. So, predicting these things is tough,” Sen commented with a smile.
Sen praised Rahul’s 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' initiative, highlighting the Congress leader’s enhanced articulation skills.
“Rahul has done a commendable job. The Yatra was beneficial both for India and for him. He has shown remarkable improvement in articulating his political thoughts much more clearly than before. When he was at Trinity, he seemed to aim for a career in development. We discussed his reading material and aspirations, and he was very eloquent in that regard but not in politics. Now, he is much more articulate in political matters,” Sen maintained.
According to Sen, Rahul’s most significant leadership improvement stems from his deepened understanding of India's political complexities.
This, Sen believes, will benefit both the Congress party and the country as Rahul serves as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
Sen concluded by stressing the importance of Rahul’s role in tackling pressing issues of inequality and sectarianism in India.
“The most important task is how he leads the Opposition in a country witnessing increasing inequality and sectarianism, especially with the majority community exerting dominance over minorities like Muslims, Christians, and others. That is his primary role, and I think he is handling it well,” Sen stated.
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