Congress Presidential Election: Will Congressmen vote on ‘Antaratma ki awaaz’ today?

It was the summer season of 69, and the Congress was feeling the warmth of maybe the most important infighting of its post-independence period. The battle was between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the SYNDICATE (a reputation given to a strong group of senior leaders who managed the Congress organisation). The Congress lawmakers needed to take a giant determination – to decide on the nation’s new president between  Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy and VV Giri.

While Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was the selection of the Syndicate – a gaggle that included heavyweights like S Nijalingappa, Ok Kamraj and Morarji Desai; VV Giri was the unbiased candidate, who had the unofficial assist of Indira Gandhi.

The Congress, until this juncture, was not a proprietary of the Gandhi household.

However, what occurred subsequent modified the get together’s future ceaselessly.

While Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was the clear favorite for the President’s publish, VV Giri, the incumbent Vice-President, managed to defeat him a historic ballot battle.

How and why did this occur?

In 1967, the highest Congress leaders – often known as the syndicate – had chosen Indira Gandhi – a naive and inexperienced chief for the Prime Minister’s job, pre-assuming that she’s going to keep as a rubberstamp head of state and comply with their instructions quietly. This is the explanation why Indira Gandhi was given the identify ‘Goongi Gudia’  (dumb puppet) in her early years because the Prime Minister.

However, it did not take Goongi Gudia a lot time to open her mouth and present indicators of assertiveness. She began taking choices – as large because the nationalisation of banks – all on her personal. With this, her reputation rose among the many lots – one thing that threatened the syndicate to its core. 

Then got here the summer season of 69. 

Incumbent President Zakir Hussain handed away in workplace, necessitating the elections for de jure head of the nation.

The Syndicate, with out taking Indira Gandhi into confidence, declared senior chief Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy as their selection for the highest job. Indira, in a catch-22 scenario, determined to quietly again Giri – an unbiased candidate.

Ahead of the elections, PM Indira Gandhi requested her get together leaders to vote on the voice of their conscience (or Antar-atma ki awaaz) – to decide on between the proper or unsuitable for nation’s and get together’s future.

As a outcome – VV Giri defeated Reddy with skinny margin of lower than 15,000 votes.

The elections turned out to be a cornerstone in making the Congress get together a properitory of the Gandhi household.

Summer of 69 to be repeated?

After greater than 50 years of that occasion, right this moment, the Gandhis and darbaris (a time period used for household loyalists) are the brand new syndicate. And there isn’t any Indira Gandhi to combat them.

A scenario has come the place the centralisation of energy into the Gandhi household’s arms is seen because the get together’s greatest weak point. The clout is such that an election might solely be necessitated because the get together’s high chief – Rahul Gandhi, his mom Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi determined to not sit on the prime chair. Everything was clean until the time a frontrunner determined to contest the election in opposition to the desire of the Gandhis.

This chief – Sashi Tharoor – a 3 time MP and former bureaucrat – quietly is aware of that it is close to unimaginable to win this battle. Yet, he has proven no indicators of being timid.

The different contender – Mallikarjun Kharge – a staunch Gandhi household loyalist – is assured of a victory.

For the political pundits, this election is simply an eyewash. They pre-assume that Kharge will win. For the likes of this author (who unfortuntely agrees with the pundits), the variety of votes Mr Tharoor would fetch stays the most important curiosity.

Will Congressmen vote on Antar-atma ki awaaz?

While everybody within the get together is pre-assuming that Kharge (Read: Gandhis) will win with a snug majority, in addition they know that there’s an undercurrent in opposition to the Gandhis. Numerous get together stalwarts have left, or have brazenly revolted in opposition to the household. The floor employee – depressed, disgruntled and helpless – needs the scenario to vary.

While there isn’t any Indira Gandhi to appeal the Congressmen like 1969, the antar-atma exists, and so exists its Awaaz – loud and clear.

Can the change occur? Will the change occur?

The Author is solely liable for the contents of the article.