After a hesitant start, the Congress has launched a full-scale war against the Modi government’s November 8 decision to annul high value currency notes. The winter session of Parliament was washed out after all Opposition parties joined hands to highlight the unnecessary hardship caused to the common man by this ill-thought move.
Taking a cue from Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi personally raised the pitch of the party campaign in an attempt to corner the government.
Convinced that post-demonetisation woes have pushed the ruling alliance on the defensive, the Nehru-Gandhi scion has directed that this issue be taken up by the party on a war-footing. A special committee, headed by Congress president’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, has been constituted to plan how the party’s campaign should be carried forward so that it is among the chief talking points in the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand.
Consequently, the Congress is witnessing a flurry of activity these days as senior leaders are busy chalking out a plan of action for the cadres ahead of these polls. While the party’s state and district leaders have been asked to organise a series of press conferences, protests and dharnas to highlight how the currency ban has not achieved any of the stated objectives and has instead hit the poor, a booklet has been published to provide the necessary talking points on demonetisation to the Congress rank and file. Observers have been appointed to ensure that the party’s state units conduct the campaign according to plan and a special convention of Congress workers is to be held at Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium on January 11 to further acquaint them with the message. The party meet is intended to set the tone for next month’s assembly polls.
Some reservations
Even as Congress leaders are busy fine-tuning the details of the campaign in accordance with Rahul Gandhi’s decision, the party is beset with doubts about the impact of these protests and its ability to sustain them. Glum Congress leaders pointed out that the party campaign against Modi’s demonetisation move has been on for nearly two months but it has failed to convince the common man that the currency ban had only affected the poor while the rich had managed to beat the system and convert their black money into white.
“The truth is that our party’s high-pitched campaign is not working on the ground as the common man agrees with Modi’s argument that it is the black money hoarders who are complaining about demonetisation and that the decision will benefit the poor in the long run,” said a former Congress minister.
In fact, Congress strategists are at their wits’ end about how they should articulate their message as the party failed to change the political discourse in its favour even though it is highlighting the travails of the vulnerable sections who admit they are suffering but are willing to put up with the temporary discomfort for long-term gains. The mood of the man on the streets is best summed up by the response of a footpath vendor: “Modiji asked us to give him 50 days for the situation to normalise. We are willing to give him more time but we will not be misled by the Opposition propaganda.”
Leadership failure
Admitting that such reactions were the norm instead of an exception, Congress insiders believe they are failing because they do not have a credible leader to articulate the party’s viewpoint and that they have been unable to come with up with creative and innovative ways of getting across their message.
“The fact is that people are willing to believe Modi whose credibility remains unaffected but they are not convinced with Rahul Gandhi’s message….he is just not taken seriously,” remarked a Congress office bearer.
Bemoaning the fact that Rahul Gandhi decided to go on vacation at a time when the party was in the midst of its campaign, Congress leaders maintained that such actions only end up strengthening the widely-held perception that the Nehru-Gandhi scion is not a serious politician and that he treats politics as a part-time vocation. They said Rahul Gandhi should have been in Delhi strategising with his colleagues about the party’s response to the Prime Minister’s address to the nation. “He should have been here to react to Modi’s speech instead of leaving it to party spokespersons,” remarked a Congress leader.
If Rahul Gandhi’s lack of consistency and non-serious image is one problem, the Congress party’s inability to get its messaging right is the other. The party is unable to frame its argument in a manner which establishes a connect with the people. Living in a virtual time warp, Congress strategists are unable to plan beyond the routine press briefings and street dharnas while their political rivals, especially Modi, has perfected the knack of capturing public imagination with their fresh arguments and new messages. For instance, a Congress insider suggested, that instead of organizing press briefings in different cities, it would be far better if senior party leaders were asked to address public lectures where they get an added opportunity to argue their case in interactive sessions with the audience. But, most importantly, the party believes it is handicapped by the fact that it does not have strong and credible Hindi speakers. “The party sorely needs leaders who can communicate in Hindi as there is no doubt they are far more effective in getting the message across,” said a former Congress minister.