Is the Congress fated to be ruled by women, after Indira Gandhi? First there was Indira, then came, by default, Sonia, and going by the latest developments, it seems Priyanka is the commandant.
She seems to be shaping a new avatar of Rahul Gandhi…. Those who heard Rahul at the Jan Vedana Rally at the Talkatora Stadium on January 11, say he was indeed in a new and confident form, gunning for PM Modi directly and unapologetically.
But Congress sources reveal that behind this change is Priyanka. They say that when the preparations for the rally were being finalised on the night of January 10, and Ahmed Patel was handling things at the stadium till about midnight, suddenly Priyanka swept down to the spot. There, till 2.30 am, she was finalising the Congress’ strategy, and detailed what Rahul should say – and should not – as well as to what extent, as diktated by Priyanka.
It may be that for Team Rahul these days, the suggestions of strategy-master Prashant Kishor has become passé, but insiders coo that Priyanka takes the latter seriously and listens to all he says.
It is learnt that due to the continued illness of mom Sonia, Priyanka now has her lunch every day with the latter, discusses strategy, and reaches Sonia’s missives to the party and Rahul directly. Priyanka also makes it a point to attend every important meeting of the higher echelons of the party, whether it befor the poll strategy in Punjab or the selection of candidates for the UP elections.
Rahul was supposed to visit China, come February, where he was scheduled not only to attend government meetings but also to speak at important lectures. But Priyanka intervened and the trip was scuttled: Officially, Rahul’s request to China was that he needs to work for the party’s polls in five states, so could his trip be advanced, please? It must be said, though, that China has nodded ‘Yes’ to Rahul’s request.
So it is evident that Priyanka is prominently making her command in Congress clear!