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New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi's repeated failure to charm the voters has become a cause of concern for the ruling Congress party.
The crown prince, as he is perceived in the Congress party circles, failed yet again despite spending considerable time in Karnataka, where the party received a setback with arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party emerging victorious in the assembly elections.
The party managers have ensured that Rahul's image does not get sullied by terming Karnataka setback as the collective failure. However, the inner circles have started talking about the need for the party to look beyond Rahul.
"It's a fact that cannot be denied that he [Rahul Gandhi] has so far failed to translate his potential into votes for the party. Perhaps it is time for us to persuade Priyanka [his sister] to come out into the open," said a member of the Congress Working Committee, which is slated to meet soon to discuss the Karnataka failure.
Rahul was actively involved with Karnataka elections. The list of candidates proposed by the state unit of the party witnessed quite a few changes, apparently at Rahul's behest.
Wrong selection of candidates is being cited as one of the reasons by the state leaders to explain their failure.
Unlike Rahul who comes across as a hesitant soft-spoken person, Priyanka was always seen as a better leadership material by the party, often compared with her late grandmother, the former premier Indira Gandhi. However, mother Sonia Gandhi's preference for Rahul has meant Priyanka's public appearances have been limited.
Proven charm
Priyanka had in 1998 general elections displayed the ability to translate her charm into votes by managing victory of mother Sonia, who heads the party, from Amethi and ensuring victory of the party nominees from nearby constituencies while Sonia was busy campaigning elsewhere.
Even since Rahul joined active politics, Priyanka has withdrawn into a shell, apparently as a part of the family strategy to promote the elder of the two siblings. However, Rahul's failure is now becoming a real cause of worry since he was supposed to lead the party's campaign along with Sonia during the next year's general elections.
"Karnataka is not the one off failure. He was involved with every aspect during elections in Uttar Pradesh last year," pointed out the CWC leader. The Congress party could win just 24 seats in the 403-member assembly.
Rahul failed again in the Gujarat elections late last year and in a way launched the party's campaign in Karnataka by starting his discover India tour from the southern state four months ago. He followed it up by campaigning for the party in the state and concentrated on tribal seats where the rival BJP managed to win more seats.
Many in the party feel the Karnataka failure may come in the plans to making Rahul the next prime minister of the country.
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