Many voters, especially the young, said they found Rahul Gandhi immature and inexperienced. But it was more a perception than based on specific reasons.
Mysuru/Mangaluru: Rahul Gandhi may have become the first Congress president to campaign in all 30 districts of Karnataka, but there’s been no buzz around him.
Blame his media managers or image consultants, but the 47-year-old young leader seldom finds any mention in public discourse — except in local media reports about his public meetings — in a state that is expected to create momentum for the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.
On Monday afternoon, a group of youngsters sat in a hostel at the College of Fisheries, on the outskirts of Mangaluru, chatting animatedly about the omissions and commissions of politicians. One said he didn’t expect “anything from corrupt politicians”, but most had a preferred leader.
There was no consensus. Opinions were split among Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Siddaramaiah, BJP’s chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa, and even the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, but Rahul didn’t figure in the list.
Asked why, Sandeep Gowda, a first-year student from Chikkaballapur, replied, “He is not experienced.” Reminded that Rahul was 47 years old, Gowda said, “Yes, he has age but not experience.” His hostel mates laughed.
Mohan, a Dalit student who said he used no surname, echoed Sandeep’s opinion. “Modi knows everything. He is bringing investments to the country. He is building the country economically. Rahul is not mature yet,” said the master’s student from Vijayapura.
Asked why they found Rahul to be immature and inexperienced, there were no specific answers. It was just their perception.
A lot of catching up to do
It’s this perception that the BJP has been seeking to build on to counter chief minister Siddaramaiah’s strategy to turn this assembly election into a contest between him and Modi.
The Karnataka poll campaign has been marked by consistent attacks on Rahul by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Modi and party president Amit Shah.
Addressing a rally at Chamrajnagar Tuesday, Modi criticised Rahul for his statement that if he was allowed to speak for 15 minutes in Parliament, the “Prime Minister wouldn’t be able to remain standing there”.
“Yes, you are right,” said Modi, “You are a ‘naamdar (one with a name)’, what right do we ‘kaamdaars (ones who work)’ have to even sit in front of you… I challenge you to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of your government in Karnataka without reading from any piece of paper. You can speak in Hindi, English or your mother tongue (Italian).”
“There is a 2+1 formula being practised in Karnataka, which is another version of the Congress’ dynastic politics,” he said, an obvious reference to chief minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to contest from two seats and his son’s poll debut from his current seat.
Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde had a go at the Congress president Sunday for his visits to temples in a kaavi (cotton dhoti), to mutts with the rudraksha (beads worn for health and spiritual power), and to churches with a cross. “He should now go to Shravanabelagola,” said Hegde, referring to the pilgrimage centre of Digambar Jains, who renounce clothes.
In the projected battle of personalities in the assembly election, Rahul seems to have a lot of catching up to do.
Ratnamma, a Madiga (Scheduled Caste) from village Madigundanahil in south Karnataka’s Magadi constituency, sounded like a committed Congress voter as she lashed out at the Modi government for doing “nothing” and also sought an account of the black money recovered through demonetisation.
She spoke fondly of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s farm loan waiver, but Rahul’s mention drew a mere smile: A response exhibited by people across regions, be it southern Karnataka, where the contest is between the Congress and the JD(S), or in parts where the grand old party is locked in a direct fight with the BJP.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member B.K. Hariprasad, however, rejected suggestions that ‘brand Rahul’ had failed to gain currency.
“I was born and brought up in Karnataka. After Indira Gandhi, if anybody has campaigned so extensively in Karnataka, it’s Rahul Gandhi. He is getting a huge response from the people, and the BJP is jittery about it,” he told ThePrint. “If you compare his rallies with Amit Shah’s, the BJP president is a total failure,” he added.
But that’s a Congressman talking.