Barely 24 hours after kicking out its “young and promising leader” Sachin Pilot from the post of Rajasthan deputy chief minister and state unit president, the Congress appealed to him to return to the party and sort out “any differences” he might have with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
For now, Sachin Pilot has made clear that he is not joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was all too eager to welcome the Congress leader, as well as perhaps the 15 MLAs who support him, into its fold. But there are a few things that the BJP must keep in mind.
It is no secret anymore that there are many disgruntled elements in the Congress wishing to quit the ‘sinking ship’. The BJP’s resolve of a “Congress-mukt Bharat” is seemingly being implemented by the Congress.
So, Sachin Pilot’s declaration cannot be considered a solemn promise made under oath. As the events unfold, there could be many more surprises. In such a scenario, the BJP would do well to listen to internal warnings.
Also read: BJP ally says Vasundhra Raje asked Congress MLAs to support Gehlot, keep away from Pilot
Careful, BJP
For a while now, a small but strong minority voice has been warning the BJP high command not to entertain every rebel who comes knocking its doors, especially the ones who have ‘inherited’ leadership as a right of succession rather than earn it through hard work, ideological commitment or selfless service and sacrifice.
In a cadre-based party like the BJP, such late comers and back door entrants from the opposition camp seem to add very little value. It is even more pertinent in Rajasthan, where the BJP has good cadre strength, deep roots and popular leadership at all levels.
The BJP must keep in mind that not every state can be Assam, where Congress import Himanta Biswa Sarma turned things around for the party to bring it to power for the first time in 2016. Assam is an isolated case.
In general, the BJP has been winning elections on the strength of outstanding charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and superb strategies of Home Minister Amit Shah. The newcomers rarely add any value to the party.
The BJP may fancy improving its prospects of victory in constituencies where the rebel leader’s influence is greater, and, as elections approach, the number of rebels wishing to join it would arguably increase, but the party must still watch out for unintended consequences and listen to the voices within.
Also read: Congress loses big when a Pilot or Scindia rebels but the ‘privileged’ are ultimate losers
Another crisis for Congress
For the Congress, the Rajasthan crisis was brewing for a long time. In fact, when Ashok Gehlot was made chief minister in 2018, it is believed there was an understanding that after a year or so, Sachin Pilot, who is credited with winning the state for the Congress, would take over the reigns from the CM. But the fact remains that Gehlot’s contribution was nothing to be overlooked, considering the old war horse is endowed with vast experience in strategising and governance.
His ‘magic’ (Gehlot is believed to have learned magic tricks from his father) worked in Maharashtra where the Congress, according to him, had given up even before the election. Speaking at an event, he had said, “Realising that the party couldn’t succeed, they [Congress in Maharashtra and Haryana] stopped trying to make any effort to win the assembly elections. The party should fight elections with all their strength and energy and not with a defeatist mindset.”
At a time when he was widely expected to play an important role in the party at the Centre, he was shifted to Rajasthan and had to fight for his supremacy. “I deserved to be the CM,” Ashok Gehlot had said in July 2019. “It was clear who should become the CM and who should not. Respecting public sentiment, Rahul Gandhi, as Congress president, gave me the chance.” Clearly, the Pilot crisis appears to be only the tip of an iceberg.
Also read: Pilot, Scindia rebellion not because of top leadership. Congress’ crisis is structural
What’s left of Congress
Is the Congress on the verge of another vertical split? Is it possible that a larger family feud could unfold leading to greater ‘earthshaking’ consequences?
As a direct fallout, like Scindia, many younger generation rebels of the Congress may walk over to the BJP, which is always ready to roll out the red carpet. Most of these leaders increasingly realise the futility of continuing in a party that has no political future, at least in the near future. A political person with high investments in public life and long years to go would certainly be worried about his/her return on investments and hence look for greener pastures in the BJP.
It is not surprising that while Rahul Gandhi remained low key in the rebellion episode, Priyanka Gandhi, in the middle of shifting house, reportedly called Pilot four times and asked him not to quit the party even if he was not attending meetings called by CM Gehlot.
Political parties are increasingly becoming leader-oriented rather than ideology-based. Indispensability of leadership flies against the basic tenets of democracy. The first family of the Congress is proving to be a liability for the party. At some stage, highly talented individuals could make an exit, cobble up another platform and float a new avatar under a new leader. The sooner the Gandhi family realises this and hands over leadership to a talented team the better it will be for the Congress.
The author is a member of the National Executive Committee of the BJP and former editor of Organiser. Views are personal.