Adani again? Rahul Gandhi’s strategy is hurting INDIA bloc, and TV news can’t stop laughing

Today’s news headlines reflect a very different Rahul Gandhi, Congress, and INDIA compared to June, when his every step and word were closely followed by the media and the public.

Rahul Gandhi during Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyan (Save Constitution Campaign) event at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, 26 November 2024 | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Rahul Gandhi’s magnificent obsession with Gautam Adani has been a public relations disaster. For him, for the Congress, and for INDIA.

In June 2024, after the Lok Sabha elections saw a revival for the Congress from 54 seats to 99, and the BJP dropped to 230 seats from 303, Rahul Gandhi was lauded and applauded for the ‘victory’. Opinions polls took note, too, indicating a huge increase in his standing.

Overnight, he was Leader of the Opposition, his every step and word followed by the media and the public. His fiery attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha in July was received with ‘wah-wahs’ and subsequent visit to the United States saw the dream run continue. He seemed to grow in stature right before our eyes. You could almost see his T-shirt chest expand several inches—no, not to 56 inches but wide enough to reflect his growing confidence.

The political forecast was sunny days ahead, for Congress and the INDIA coalition bloc—it was said, at the time, that the former would win Haryana and the latter Maharashtra in the forthcoming assembly elections—and the alliance would go from strength to strength.

Throughout this period, Rahul Gandhi hammered away on pet themes from his successful Lok Sabha campaign: Adani, Adani, Adani, the BJP’s threat to the Constitution and to democracy. Again and again, in his public comments, his election campaign addresses, his parliamentary speeches, his press conferences, he insisted these as the most important issues before the nation.

It seems, we the people disagree: Congress suffered embarrassing losses in Haryana and Maharashtra to a resurgent BJP. The sun went behind the clouds and, suddenly, INDIA is in disarray.

Today’s news headlines reflect a very different Rahul, Congress, and INDIA than what we saw in June. ‘Congress ally Samajwadi Party questions Rahul …’’ said CNN News 18 after he was detained from travelling to Sambhal where five people died in violence, last month.

“Congress cornered—I.N.D.I.A Sansad divide widens,” wrote Times Now. CNN News 18 said, “Allies abandon Congress…’’ Mirror Now saw an all-out war: “Cong v/s SP v/s TMC,” it said. This, after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) did not join a Congress-led INDIA protest against Adani outside Parliament on Tuesday.

Kirti Azad, TMC MP, stood outside Parliament and gave interviews to anyone who asked him, saying that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ought to lead the INDIA coalition.

Dear oh dear, what’s happened in five short months?

What’s happened is “Congress’s Adani tune upsets allies,” said India Today.

So much so that Times Now sees “Congress-mukt I.N.D.I.A” very much on the cards and Navika Kumar is openly laughing at Rahul Gandhi and his “Adani arrow” attack on the BJP government: “… Has his arrow misfired? Have the targeted strikes against Adani left the Congress isolated amongst its alliance partners?” she asked.

‘Divide is real’

We know what’s happened: Last week, the winter session of Parliament was a complete washout after the BJP refused to agree to the Congress’s demand for a joint parliament committee (JPC) and a discussion on Adani following his US indictment for alleged payoffs. Opposition protests followed and Parliament was repeatedly suspended.

Monday saw a similar boycott before the Congress suddenly backed off  and allowed Parliament to function. This change of heart was brought about by “pressure” from within the party and among allies. As The Indian Express reported, not everyone had been pleased by this Congress ‘Adani’ boycott Parliament strategy. “There is unease among a section of the party’s Lok Sabha MPs as well as some other Opposition parties over the continued stalling of the two Houses…” TMC and SP in particular had other issues they wished to raise, according to this report in The Times of India.

The rift in the alliance isn’t new, but the Congress “insistence” (The Indian Express) on the Adani issue in Parliament has further ruffled feather. “With a large Opposition section keen on participating in the business of both the Houses to take up multiple issues, the Congress leadership thus decided to change its parliamentary tactics and resolve the impasse, sources added,” wrote the Express.

TV news channels saw this a “climb down” by Rahul Gandhi (India Today) as “Allies differ with Cong” (CNN News 18)—“Mamata Ekla Chalo…”

That the “divide” is very real becomes even clearer in this Express story about displeasure over the seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha: if they can’t agree on who sits where, what will they agree upon?

‘Not for turning’ 

Rahul Gandhi’s decision to persist with Gautam Adani, democracy, and Constitution as the issues to highlight—his trademark photo is now holding up a pocket size copy of the Constitution—as part of his political strategy for the Congress doesn’t seem to have public appeal. He speaks on them repeatedly, frequently—he did so during the Haryana and Maharashtra elections, too—but as TOI reported, it has failed to impress voters.

His press conference in Mumbai, just before the assembly polls, once again highlighted his (misplaced?) priorities: remember how he dramatically opened a ‘safe’ and took out posters of PM Modi with Adani and of Dharavi?

Some news media say the loss in both state elections has “…taken the sting out of the Opposition’s campaign.” According to The Sunday Guardian, it has weakened the Congress position with its allies: “…Political leaders within the INDIA bloc… are now questioning the relevance of the alliance and are demanding a change of attitude from the Congress,” it wrote.

And yet, rather like former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Rahul Gandhi is “not for turning”—he refuses to change course: Watch him on the Ghazipur border, Wednesday, holding aloft the Constitution (India Today).

The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.

(Edited by Prashant)