AAP lessons for Congress: It won't work for Rahul

"I am going to make sure that transformation (of the party organisation) happens, and I will do it in ways you cannot even imagine," said Rahul Gandhi a few hours after the Congress was routed in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

After the most humiliating defeat of the party in recent times, standing next to his visibly upset mother Sonia Gandhi, Rahul made the above quoted statement to the media. Even after such a disastrous performance of the party, Rahul Gandhi was not looking really concerned. He once again made the usual statements he often makes. Instead of giving some hopes to the highly demoralised Congress workers, he further dampened their spirits by making such a big statement, which actually means nothing.

As eminent historian Ramachandra Guha says this is the time for Rahul Gandhi to quit politics and look for some other job. In his usual style Guha said, "the Congress can survive only if it kicks Rahul Gandhi out." It is a harsh statement indeed. But, Guha was echoing the sentiments of majority Congress workers, who consider Rahul Gandhi, a major obstacle in reviving the party.

His mother Sonia Gandhi is a much more pragmatic leader. To her credit, she brought the party back to power twice and understands the realities of politics. It seems her son, who will succeed her as the president of Congress, has not learnt anything in the last 10-15 years.

Rahul Gandhi's understanding of India is very poor. He is a bookish politician. He thinks that his useless theories can improve the party and the nation.

On Sunday, referring to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s spectacular victory, he said, "They (AAP) involved the people, who are normally not involved by main stream parties. I will look into it. I will also involve them."

Well, Rahul Gandhi might go out looking for the AAP type workers. He is unlikely to succeed in his mission because he is being misguided and controlled by a small coterie, which has its own vested interests in keeping him ignorant and inaccessible.

Almost all of his advisors are from influential backgrounds. They may be educated and qualified like many of Kejriwal's supporters. But, they are not with Rahul Gandhi to do something good for the country. They are not motivated by an ideology. They are there to derive some personal benefits and political mileage.

Kejriwal's supporters are highly motivated. They are all first time political party workers and most of them have no personal political ambitions, agendas or business interests. They want the country to have an efficient, clean and pro-people government. As Kejriwal says everybody in the AAP is an aam aadmi.

These kinds of people are highly unlikely to join the Congress to help Rahul Gandhi to transform his party into a mass movement. Why would they help a family run and a corrupt coterie controlled party to survive and come to power? Rahul Gandhi's statement exposes his lack of knowledge and lack of understanding of simple things.

The AAP type workers are not a commodity to be purchased or included by the Congress. They are inspired by the ideology of the AAP, its simple structure, its goals, its leaders who are also as simple as its workers.

Rahul Gandhi seems to have forgotten the fact that arrogance, corruption and indifference of his party has given birth to the AAP and its supporters. After a total decimation, he can't eye the very same people to revive his party. It would be stupid on his part to expect these people to back him.

The Delhi election results prove that the majority of the Congress vote has gone to the AAP. Why did they vote for the AAP?

Because, the Congress has failed them in the last 60 plus years. Rahul Gandhi's favourite programmes like MNREGA, Food Security Bill etc are actually helping the Congress to keep the country poor. The beneficiaries of the same schemes are disillusioned with the Congress. They don't want to remain poor and keep voting for the Congress forever. The same people have voted for the AAP in Delhi.

Arvind Kejriwal transformed their anger and frustration into votes for the AAP. Whose anger and frustration, is Rahul Gandhi targeting? Does he know the answer? I am sure, he does not.

If Rahul Gandhi really wants to transform his party, he should first become another Arvind Kejriwal. The change which begins at the top is the real change. It should start at 10, Janpath, first.

Otherwise, it's over for both the Congress and Rahul Gandhi.