‘Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon’ (I am a woman, I can fight)— the poll cry which fell flat during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election found resonance with the thumping victory Priyanka Gandhi Varda registered in Wayanad.
A woman whose graph of electioneering, which covers a time frame of over 35 years, has eventually materialised into the beginning of a new course.
Priyanka’s official elevation to the Lower House of the Parliament on Thursday must have left many expecting an upgraded era of the Grand Old Party of India.
Although now all the three Gandhis are in the Parliament, expectations from Priyanka are several notches higher among those rooting for an even stronger ‘voice’ of the Opposition.
On a lighter note, she is a better ‘communicator’ than LoP Rahul Gandhi.
While the Winter Session of the Parliament is in progress and several agendas of national relevance are on the table to be discussed, moving ahead with Priyanka as MP, can this lead to a power struggle in the inner corridors of the Congress?
Political analysts have served this view that Sonia Gandhi has favoured Rahul as her successor. However, his adamance always had its way.
The situation is no longer the same. The woman who played her role from behind the curtains has become a prominent leader now. And how sooner or later she will be taking the centre stage is to be seen.
Congress leaders have hinted on the party’s command lying with Rahul, albeit Mallikarjun Kharge is the party president. But for how long can the tides remain the same?
While time will have an answer to this question, hence everything for now are mere speculations.
In politics, speculation has its own importance.
To put things into perspective, the manner in which events unfolded pertaining to the three Gandhis being in Parliament appears like a well-thought-out plan.
Days before national polls 2024, Sonia Gandhi gave up the Lok Sabha MP's position from Raebareli and filled the Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan, which belonged to former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh.
As the nominations for the Lok Sabha polls began, Rahul Gandhi’s candidature from Raebareli was announced. He did not give up Wayanad and while filing nomination from the southern seat, he was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
While campaigning, too, he made it clear that Wayanad will be taken care off and the presence of Priyanka somewhat cushioned the claim.
After this what happened is no way a secret, however the gaps that existed were filled with Priyanka’s electoral debut and victory.
The landscape of both Raebareli and Wayanad was never alien to Priyanka— it was 2004 when she campaigned for her mother in Raebareli and this was also the year when the Congress was cutting a sorry figure of itself and Priyanka’s presence appeared like a new lease of life.
Hence, her debut, which now confirms the hush-hush behind the well-thought-out plan has two most prominent issues to address. One, cut out the confused leadership image, which the Congress has.
Second, the structure of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc. It is to be noted that after general elections 2024, four assembly elections that have been held. And in them the alliance has managed to secure two, that is, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, however it lost Haryana and Maharashtra.
Since the hype surrounding Priyanka's debut has culminated into her position as an MP, the entire country will have eyes on what she has to offer to not just the people of Wayanad, but also to her party, INDI alliance and the nation at large.
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