Time for Congress to hand over the baton to Priyanka?

New Delhi: The way Priyanka Gandhi has succeeded in attracting media eyeballs after she took on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi seems to have provided the Congress workers with a new ray of hope.The 2014 election campaign was getting lopsided with Modi's larger-than-life image overshadowing everything else. It was more like a presidential campaign but with a difference. Even de jure presidential campaigns are rarely one-sided. Rahul Gandhi, the commander-in-chief of Congress party's election campaign failed to offer a tough fight to Modi. The lack of competition has left the Congress workers dejected.The bitter reality is that Rahul looks quite a novice compared to Modi when it comes to campaigning. It's not that the content of his speech is not noteworthy but the biggest problem is that he fails to connect with masses the way Modi does. He fails to have the electrifying effect on the audience that Modi creates so easily. Rahul looks completely distracted- he arrives at a rally venue, delivers a speech and leaves in a huff without even caring to meet the party candidate on whose behalf he made that speech. Worse, he is nowhere near Modi when it comes to oratorical skills. Under these trying circumstances, the entry of Priyanka looked like a breath of fresh air to both Congress workers and political observers. Although confined to Amethi and Rae Bareli, the constituencies of her brother and mother respectively, Priyanka has succeeded in offering a tough challenge to Modi. The national media was compelled to give equal attention to speeches of Priyanka although she is not an office bearer of the party, nor is she standing for any public office.For Congress workers and political observers, Priyanka's reflexes have glimpses of Indira Gandhi. She looks equally confident and aggressive. She has this ability of connecting to the masses. And yes, she compels media to focus attention towards her. One can love her, hate her but can't ignore her.All pre-poll surveys have suggested that Congress party is going to suffer one of the worst defeats of its history this time. The national mood may not be overwhelmingly in support of Modi but it's definitely not in favour of Rahul Gandhi. Now the question is that why has the Congress leadership confined Priyanka to Amethi and Rae Bareli only? Had she been campaigning in other constituencies, she could have made a difference to Congress fortunes. Has the Congress party failed to realize what is obvious to the rest of the world? Some political observers believe that despite successive electoral defeats under Rahul Gandhi, the Congress president Sonia Gandhi does not want to bring in Priyanka Gandhi because she, like any other Indian mother, is fond of her son. They also point out that even in Italy, the birth place of Sonia Gandhi, the mothers are more like Indian mothers who prefer sons over daughters.Whatever be the truth, crucial decisions of the party can't be taken on the basis of emotions. Politics is a throat-cutting battle field and you have to put your best foot forward.And under present scenario, it is very clear that it's only Priyanka who has got the charisma and oratorical skills to challenge someone like Narendra Modi who is a veteran of the electoral politics. The sooner they hand over the baton to Priyanka, it's better for the party. Today the Congress workers may not be opening their mouth out of fear but once out of power, they are bound to question the wisdom of continuing with Rahul as the leader. This is not to say that changing the captain will change the political game so easily. The people of India are more wise today compared to what they were earlier. Now they apply their mind before exercising their franchise. They no longer follow any dynasty blindly but nobody can deny the fact that charisma and the ability to connect with the people play important role in election campaigns all across the world.It's time for Congress party and Sonia Gandhi to read the writings on the wall and change the commander if they want to offer a more credible fight in 2019.