How to tackle Rahul? BJP perplexed

TNN

New Delhi, 23 May 2015: Rahul Gandhi’s five interventions in Lok Sabha countered by 12 from the BJP government, all delivered with aggression by top Modi ministers.

 

Contrast this bit of statistic with senior minister Nitin Gadkari’s trending snub "nobody takes Rahul Gandhi seriously", and the logical counter is "who takes Rahul seriously?"

 

It is also the question being hotly debated in the political circles since the Gandhi scion resurfaced in public view after a 56-day sabbatical last month to launch a high-decibel offensive against the Modi government.

 

There is a growing belief in the political class that Rahul’s seeming success in his new avatar has a lot to do with the disproportionate response from the saffron camp. A study of parliament proceedings after April 20, when Rahul rejoined the duties, shows interesting details.

 

Rahul made a 20-minute intervention in Lok Sabha on farm crisis with the "suit boot ki sarkar" jibe. What followed surprised even the BJP camp. Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu gave a long response, followed by agriculture minister’s Radha Mohan Singh’s speech directed at the Congress No 2.

Rahul’s "net neutrality" offensive elicited counter from Naidu and telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Ministers Harsimrat Badal, Naidu and Ram Vilas Paswan spoke on Rahul’s charge of a grain crisis in Punjab. On Amethi food park, home minister Rajnath Singh gave a quick riposte. Next morning, Badal responded with fury and then issued a detailed statement four days later. Singh also sent Rahul a letter.

 

Lastly, Rahul’s offensive on land acquisition bill provoked riposte from a BJP MP and rural development minister.

 

Estimates state that saffron ministers spoke for double the time to Rahul’s roughly 35-minute interventions. Congress protested the "new trend" of ministers responding in "Zero Hour" in Rahul’s case while Trinamool Congress challenged it be made a standing practice. Interestingly, two MPs, directly and otherwise, demanded the government accord all members the same importance.

 

Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, "For quite some time now, the defining characteristic of BJP has been ’anti-Rahulism’ which proves they do take him very seriously and are insecure because the issues raised by Rahul are having enormous resonance with people."

 

BJP leaders say the party is still figuring out the way to deal with the Congress mascot: if he is to be ignored, or junior leaders to engage him or the party should go the full throttle against him.