THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congressmen in the state are in a state of frisson, with no less a person that former chief minister Oommen Chandy recalling Gandhiji's poignant words, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win", to salute Rahul Gandhi on his election as the Congress president. Mr Gandhi's election was a foregone conclusion. State party president M. M. Hassan said he is the youngest incumbent to don the mantle of India's grand old party. Encomiums pour in from leaders in state, where Mr Gandhi had not so long back adopted a tough stance to rein in unbridled factionalism.
In the process, Mr Gandhi even installed his own man as the state president- Mr V. M. Sudheeran- though it is an accepted fact that he would never muster enough support to reach anywhere near the post. Yet the rank and file put up with Mr Gandhi's prescription, hoping it would help. But it didn't. State leaders like Mr Chandy believe Mr Gandhi's 13 long years as an MP, general secretary and vice-president in different spells give him the resource base to lead the party as well as be a rallying point against the rightwing forces. In less than four years, Mr Chandy said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proved himself to be all talk and less action. Right time for Mr Gandhi to step in.
But there is a catch. 13 long years also should tell him how he should blend experience and youth, or tradition and talent, to steer the ship of Congress through turbulence, never to revert to the authoritarian style of imposing yes men as state leaders (during Indira Gandhi's time). If time permits, Mr Gandhi would be in Thiruvananthapuram to wrap up Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala's padayorukkam. Congressmen would eagerly await the moment for Mr Gandhi's elucidation of his priorities.
