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The question as to when Rahul Gandhi will step out into the spotlight
is speculated not just in the Indian media but also in global magazines.
The latest issue of Newsweek has the Amethi MP on its cover as the
person who is expected to make his mark in 2007 along with half a
dozen other political leaders from different countries. Described
as India's "crown prince" and the next "big hope"
of the Congress party which has not won a clear majority in the general
elections for over 20 years now and has been out of power in Uttar
Pradesh for over 15 years, Rahul may find that while his name alone
may put him on the top, charisma is not enough to keep him there.
Sonia and Congress leaders may want Rahul to take up a party leadership
post or be part of the government but the 36-year old leader has
not yet revealed his mind. His hesitation to take up the campaign
in UP is "understandable," the article said attributing
the assessment to analysts. It added that reviving the Congress'
fortunes would be tough and perhaps even futile and Rahul may not
want to get tagged with a major failure in the early stages of his
political career.
The write-up says that unlike his father Rajiv, mother Sonia and
grandmother Indira, Rahul is not a reluctant politician but a deliberate
one who has, since he entered active politics, become one of his
mother's key advisers. He has kept a low profile that is becoming
harder to maintain as Congress members increasingly treat him like
a center of power.
"He grew up in a sterilised security bubble and seldom strays
from it. He rarely speaks to the media. Critics suggest, perhaps
unfairly, that he's little more than a dilettante," said the
report. It added that he is becoming a popular leader in his own
right, his sincerity and disarming smile, according to his supporters,
connecting him with the voters.
Congress leaders refused to comment on the article that said that
he has not made any stirring speeches in Parliament and his views
on issues like foreign policy, finance or Pakistan are not known.
Rahul has often said that he would like to create a "new brand
of politics" that does not divide people on the basis of caste
or religion and would like NGOs to play an important role in the
country's development.
According to the article, when Rahul does step out into the spotlight,
he would face huge expectations, with a limit to the loyalty of
the poor and the underprivileged who would want the Congress to
pursue policies that reduce poverty. "Rahul Gandhi is acutely
aware of the privileges and burdens that come with his name. Now
he will have to commit himself to putting it to work for his party
and his country," the journal said.
It also said that despite his pedigree, Rahul wants to be a regular
guy. He is a sportsman, is keen on rifle shooting and cricket and
has a Spanish girlfriend named Veronique whom he met while studying
in England. He apparently has no plans to marry soon, the magazine
said.
-Saroj Nagi
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