Recently, the Congress MP from Saharanpur, Imran Masood, suggested that if Priyanka Gandhi were the Prime Minister of India, she would sternly and firmly deal with Bangladesh, where minorities are being victimised, just like her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, who taught Pakistan a great lesson.
The import of the message was not lost on anyone. It was widely seen as a clear suggestion that Priyanka should be announced as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the Congress. While Masood later clarified that he did not intend to suggest her as the Prime Ministerial candidate, which would imply replacing Rahul Gandhi as the face of the party, his comment nevertheless caused curiosity and discomfort. In a way, it touched a raw nerve within the Congress, as it indirectly questioned Rahul’s capability as the party’s leader.
Rahul has been at the helm since 2014, first as Vice President, then as President, and now as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He has led the party to three back-to-back defeats in the General Elections of 2014, 2019, and 2024. Under his leadership, the party has lost numerous states across the country. Currently, the Congress holds power in just three states-Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana-besides being an alliance partner in ruling coalitions in Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand.
Although Mallikarjun Kharge is the “official” party president, there is little doubt that Rahul commands and leads the Congress, exercising authority over organisational appointments and Chief Minister selections, much like the arrangement with Dr Manmohan Singh when he was Prime Minister, while actual power was wielded by “someone else”.
Masood framed his suggestion intelligently. He did not demand that Priyanka be made the Prime Ministerial face of the party. He worded it in a way that he could always explain that he was merely comparing her with her grandmother, which also indirectly commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Masood, inheriting the political legacy of his father, Rasheed Masood, a former Union Minister, is astute enough to understand the implications of his words. His remark was clearly deliberate, not “off the cuff.”
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There have been murmurs within the party about Rahul’s leadership, with some viewing his inability to be accepted as a Prime Ministerial face as a key factor in Modi’s third consecutive win. Eminent Supreme Court lawyer and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal left the Congress after criticising Rahul’s leadership and the party’s failure to explore alternatives.
Within Congress, whispers suggest that since leadership remains within the Gandhi family, the only alternative to Rahul could be Priyanka. Masood’s less subtle remarks expressed what many would like to say but are afraid to voice publicly. While it seems unlikely, the party may have deliberately floated the idea of Priyanka as the Prime Ministerial face to gauge reactions.
The Congress has not officially responded to Masood’s suggestion, while the BJP claimed it indicated a “power struggle” between Rahul and Priyanka. However, Rahul and Priyanka enjoy a close sibling bond, even if their working styles differ. Priyanka is widely regarded as a better orator, preparing her speeches meticulously, whereas Rahul often speaks without detailed preparation, occasionally repeating points.
Priyanka has often been compared with her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, in appearance, though she has had limited opportunities to prove her leadership skills. She has been a general secretary for a long time and became an MP from Wayanad in this term after Rahul vacated the seat, retaining the family bastion for Raebareli.
As of now, it is premature to assume any change in the Congress leadership projection or that Priyanka will be the Prime Ministerial face. The next General Elections are still four years away. Politics, after all, is the art of the possible and the plausible.
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