Friday, July 20, 2012

RAHUL GANDHI : ASSETS & LIABILITIES, DOs & DON’Ts




B.RAMAN

ASSETS:


1.Youthful image.


2.Belongs to the oldest political party that played a historic role in the fight for India’s independence and that has produced more national and political icons than any other political party in India.


3.Belongs to a party that has a much larger reservoir of GenNext youthful figures and minds than any other party.


4.Belongs to a party that still has a modicum of idealism as a motivating factor. One has to search in vain for the slightest trace of idealism in other political parties, which are largely cynical seekers of power.


5.Belongs to a party that gave two electrifying slogans that brought many of us under its flag in our youth--- “Quit India” under Mahatma Gandhi and “Garibi Hatao” under Indira Gandhi.


6.Belongs to a party that enjoys more the empathy of the minorities than any other political party.


7. Belongs to the only political party  that has a pan-Indian presence, mind-set and impact.


LIABILITIES:

1.His perceived inability to do any original thinking and come out with any original ideas on the problems confronting India and on the issues of concern to the youth.


2.His public image of diffidence and lacking in thoughtful impulses.


3.His political and policy impulses are yet to be demonstrated and felt.


4.His perceived image of a leader lacking in seriousness of thought and action.


5.When one meets Rahul Gandhi face to face, he doesn’t leave a lasting impact on one’s mind.


6.His weaknesses in articulation and his perceived inability to establish thought-provoking vibrations either with the public or the media. No political leader can succeed unless he is able to make an impact on the minds of the public and the media.


7.When Indira Gandhi entered politics under Jawaharlal Nehru and the Government under Lal Bahadur Shastri and when Rajiv Gandhi entered politics under Indira and the Government after her assassination, they did not have to face the kind of intense media scrutiny  that Rahul Gandhi faces today. He cannot expect to make an impact on the media and on the public by continuing to keep away from the media.


8.His inability and that of his party to understand the new Youth Power of the online world and establish a mental equation with it.


9 His couldn’t care less attitude and that of his party towards the old, new and constantly  evolving media is proving counter-productive. The  Media Power to make and unmake images is little understood in the Congress Party.


10.The failure of his selective forays into politics--- whether in UP, Bihar or elsewhere. Nothing succeeds like success and nothing fails like failure.


11.His inability and that of Sonia Gandhi to build up a team of competent political, economic, foreign policy and national security advisers in the party.


DOs


1.Energise the GenNext of the party, give them roles that would excite them and insist on performance.


2.Build up a team of competent advisers and encourage and motivate them to identify issues that need urgent attention and come out with workable ideas as to how to deal with those issues.


3. Give  new goalposts for the party and the people such as “Corruption Hatao”, “Make The Public Places Safe For Women” etc and work sincerely towards achieving them. Mobilise youth and women power for achieving them.


4.Modernise media relations. Be more available for on-the-record interactions with the media. Make yourself accessible to the TV media which plays a more important role in building images and perceptions of clear thinking and energetic leadership than any other section of the media. Pay more attention to the New Youth Power of the online world.


5.Travel more frequently in India and to countries where the Indian diaspora is playing an active role in trying to influence political thought and action in India through the Internet.


6. Improve your style of articulation and public speaking.


7.Pronounce yourself more frequently and more impactfully on issues of national interest in the public and parliament and through the media.


DON’Ts


1. Don’t get obsessed with NaMo. Ignore him. Let others in the party counter him.


2. Don’t take over the leadership for campaigning in the forthcoming State elections as in Gujarat. Designate others in the Party to do that and guide them.( 21-7-12)


( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate, Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com . Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )

17 comments:

Unknown said...

So, the only don't is to keep away from Gujarat and Modi.

Now, that tell us more about comparison between Modi and Rahul than Chetan Bhagat's study.

niraj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Indian said...

Mr. Raman,
I was silent leader/fan of your blogs from last 3-4 years but today I am writing here because it seems you are favoring Rahul for PM post over Namo.
The points you have highlighted in your blog itself shows that apart from Gandhi surname Rahul does not have any other quality to be India PM.

Namo has proved everywhere what quality he posses to be India's PM.
His vison is clear.

Would be interesting to see a blog from you on ths topics "Rahul vS Namo Who is good option tolead INDIA "

Rajeev said...

Mr.Raman - I never doubt your strong nationalistic personality but have always regret of your apathy to history, specially nehruvian history.
And always found you being fan of Indira who had done almost everything more dangerous (then Nehru) except Bangladesh Independence war. There too, she missed big time on settling Kashmir issue.

Certainly Rajiv Gandhi was even more pathatic and Rahul is the worst from the so called first family. Never understood your tilt towards this hopeless family which is hinge of current state of India.

Visible Trade said...

Structured but analysis is coloured by personal feelings. Disappointing.

Fence Sitter said...

Mr Raman beats the energizer bunny in ching-chuk (for the dynasty) !

Bala said...

please read MR. RAM JETHMALANI IN SUNDAY GUARDIAN ON RAGHUL CAPTIONED " THEATRE OF THE ABSURD" AND ALSO his forthcoming article next week on raghuls qualifications. why the only profession known to nehru clan is politics. they have two lives and two faces one for public consumption another private.

What They don't Want You to Know said...

Nauseating, sycophantic and ignorant claptrap. You can't see in your own article that the liabilities outweigh the assets, that the DOs outweigh the DON'Ts - there's a message in there if you accept that a leopard cannot change its spots (although RG is more like a sheep).

I 1st started following you from rediff.com and I really enjoy even today your analyses of the external threats facing India and India's foreign policy. It is only recently I have realised you are a secularist camp follower in awe of arguably the richest family in Switzerland.

Your reputation for unbiased analysis lies in tatters.

shyam lal said...

this is our problem in Inida ....even though we have the "best"and best and best ,we always go for the worst ...

we as a youth don't want a "Corleone" family to ruin our MotherIndia...

as youth we would like to expect from seniors like You a factual approach rather than some tactical motivated when looking in to Our great nations future .

for us the respect for you is high ,u gave great service to the country....please don't disappoint us in future....

Indian said...

Mr Raman,

You have not seen even one comment in favor of Mr. Rahul Gandhi in this blog.
It does not mean we all are fundamental Hindus/Internet Hindus(the new word given to Modi supporter by CNN-IBN Journalist).This has becomes trend in INDIA whoever support Namo becomes communal.

Mr. Raman, we have high regards for you but please stop supporting Gandhi Family and Anti Indian journalists(Mrs. Barkha Dutt).

Indian said...

One more thing, if supporting Namo is communal then i am ready to be called as communal.

BJP will win only if Namo is president candidate.We are Indians are hungry for development which Namo cann only give.

We want a leader with clear vision for India not like Mr Rahul Gandhi who does not even open his mouths on critical issues.

Krishna Kacker said...

I have not been able to find anything in RahulGandhi to suggest that he can be a good national leader.Not even charisma, which his sister atleast possesses.But then who knows...Who knew before Indira Gandhi or RajeevGandhi became Prime Ministers that they would leave an indelible mark on the nation.
So Good Luck, Mr. Rahul Gandhi.

Unknown said...

All his so called 'assets' exist just because he was born in to a family. He did not work for it, and everything came to him without any effort. On the other hand his liabilities are actually the outcome of his substandard intellectual horizons.

He is more than 40 years old and still grossly incapable of linear thought and taking tough decisions without consulting 'high command'. He has strong opinion about no national issue. His only known thoughts are something like 'corruption is bad' or 'something needs to be done about poverty'.

If he ever comes to power as PM, it would prove that India is an aristocracy and not a democracy like we believe.

It is very sad to know, that you of all the people consider him to be a prince destined to take the throne of the kingdom of India. Is this even a democracy? No sane person would ever vote for him. But as this country does not have many sane people, he would still become PM on one dark day.

Unknown said...

Does he have a clear vision for India? NO


Does he have the nerves to take tough decisions for India? NO


Does he have the intellect to lead the country through tough times? NO


Has he ever taken any responsibility or completed any project on his own? NO


Does he have verifiable and honorable higher education where he did not enter through sports quota? NO


Was he ever involved in any professional work that involved facing the heat of real world competition? NO


Did he involve himself in any real humanitarian effort or do anything for the poor people who are so close to his heart? NO


Is his last name Gandhi? YES

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Dr. Vivekanand Ramnath Shenoy said...

It is precisely because of people like you that we have an exploitative government in India. After the Delhi gang rape protests and the Government's arrogant indifference you must have revised your role as an advocate of this dynasty. Your recent tweets show that.

Please remember these protests were not just about rape they were something much deeper - "PUBLIC RESENTMENT AGAINST MALIGNANT MISGOVERNANCE".

MALIGNANT is the key word; yes I believe Congress led UPA is damaging institutions using the system for personal gains and vindictive campaigns against their opponents. Democratic values espoused by the great Mahatma and to some extent by his disciple Nehru have totally evaporated.

Do not the people of India deserve better? Bureaucrats such as you have played your role however so small in bringing India to this malignant pass.

I hope you enjoy that malt! As usual you can delete this post - but not my feelings for people like you who have enabled parasitism in the form of a government!

Seshadri Kumar said...

Your points 2 and 5 in the PROS section are both wrong. The present Congress party has nothing to do with the Indian National Congress that gave India freedom. There were two major splits in that party, one in 1967 when Indira was made the leader, and another after the emergency in 1977. Mrs. Indira Gandhi HERSELF NEVER used the name Indian National Congress. This band of thieves doesn't deserve that name.

For a more objective analysis on Rahul Gandhi, see http://www.leftbrainwave.com/2013/11/shehzada-rahul-bin-rajiv-ibn-indira.html

The fact is that Mr.Gandhi has NO achievements to his name, and is a turncoat who will not hesitate to backstab his party for personal gain. My article clearly explains why.