Victorious re-entry but still miles to go

Editorial
The Observer
May 26, 1999

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Title: Victorious re-entry but still miles to go
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Observer
Date: May 26, 1999

Mrs Sonia Gandhi has emerged victorious from the crisis triggered off
by the 'rebellion' of Mr Sharad Pawar and others.  As far as the
Congress is concerned, her undisputed supremacy within the party and
her candidature for the prime ministership, if the party commands the
required numbers after the elections, are a foregone conclusion. 
However, it cannot be ruled out that, as the distribution of seats
nears, disgruntled sections may find in the 'foreigner issue' a
convenient way out of the party.  Then, such desertions will be what
they are: A self-serving act mirroring the first rebellion.

However, having withdrawn her resignation -and forced the AICC, in the
process, to express its unwavering faith in her leadership - Mrs
Gandhi has won only the first round.  The next round is the elections
where, for the first time in the country's history, people are voting
on a vicarious issue - that of her citizenship.  Whether the issue is
critical to Congress prospects or not can unfortunately only be
determined through the upcoming electoral process.  Winning the hearts
and votes of the electorate could be an entirely different game.  It
will be a herculean task for her to contain the Congress' decline
which dates back as far as the mid-80s.  The traditional support base
of the Congress party, including dalits, muslims and other weaker
sections, had deserted it long ago.  It is to be seen how Mrs Gandhi
endears herself to these sections and whether she can win this segment
back to the fold.  Congressmen believe that Mulayam Singh Yadav's
alleged support to the BJP through his denial of support to the
Congress last month has indeed alienated him from this vote bank in
the electorally critical state of Uttar Pradesh.

The AICC session and Sonia's performance seem to indicate that she is
coming out of her shell.  A leader who aspires to be a leader of the
masses must be able to convincingly press flesh and not flinch from
public contact.  For her to succeed, she has to increasingly depend
now on her own ingrown political instincts and less on the protective
stranglehold of her advisors who wish to keep her in their grip,
perhaps at the cost of the electorate.

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