Why I am rooting for Rahul Gandhi 2.0
Rahul Gandhi's much talked about sabbatical has a new competitor: Rahul Gandhi 2.0. If the speeches against the "suit-boot ki sarkar" on Land Acquisition Bill and net neutrality are anything to go by, the Congress scion has come back well prepared to take on the Narendra Modi government, ala his Opposition.
His leave of absence from work was fodder for gossip in offices and households, as well as memes on social media. It was also the root cause of some awkward questions raised to Congress party members, who were mostly at a loss of words to explain why their Vice-president was away at a crucial hour in Indian politics. The BJP milked the situation to its advantage.
However, among other things, a 16 km trek to Kedarnath and cross-country trips to meet farmers has put to rest any speculations about the Congress chief-to-be throwing in the towel. The refreshed and raring-to-go attitude of Gandhi is there for all to see.
I don't know who he spoke with during the 56-day period - his lady love, friends, family or his own self - but this fully-charged Rahul Gandhi can well be the ambassador of wellness in India: Go on, take that break, and come back with a fresh perspective on life.
It's another thing though that employers wouldn't be too happy with the idea. Here's why we should be cheering on Rahul Gandhi 2.0:
1. He brings back hope for the Indian voter: You see hints of the Rahul Gandhi who had joined Indian politics in May 2004 in this energetic man who is meeting farmers across the country with the same ease with which he debated the cause of net neutrality in Parliament. He's in the news for the right reasons now and must maintain the momentum. Maybe he did get the message a senior journalist was trying to give him through the below video -
2. He brings back hope for the youth: The young have learnt an important lesson - It's okay to fall, but getting back up and walking is what matters. Yes, there were the general elections in 2014. Yes, there were the Delhi Assembly elections later the same year. Big debacles for the party Gandhi's due to lead in the future. But there's nothing that a few days far from the maddening crowd wouldn't heal. The wounds will remain etched in memory, but the "reluctant" leader now appears to be more confident of his place under the sun.
3. He brings back hope for the parents of the "smartphone generation": 56 days and no pictures to corroborate the claims that he was in Bangkok. In the day and age where even painting ones nails or getting a haircut is shared on social media, Gandhi's "disappearance" has given a new lease of life to parents' request to their kids to reduce their dependency on the gadget.
It's still early days but if the recharged Rahul Gandhi were to continue on the path he's treading on these days, Narendra Modi has a tough contender to fight against in 2019.