Unraveling Rahul Gandhi, the next leader

New Delhi: The tale of the next heir of the Gandhi dynasty began approximately 7 years back with various speculations in the media and public which budded with Rahul Gandhi's first few public appearances with his mother Sonia Gandhi. And today, here we stand with a declaration about Rahul being appointed as Congress Vice President and gaining the position of number two in the Congress party. Although his role in 2014 Lok Sabha elections has still been kept under cover, (the only one being that he heads the poll campaign committee) speculations about Rahul becoming the next Prime Minister have received a positive nod across the pan-Indian Congress spectrum. All this while Rahul Gandhi has portrayed himself as a people's man, sleeping in the huts of poor Dalits in UP, staying and dining in non-descript restaurants in dusty places like Odisha's Kendrapara, and meeting with the masses, particularly the young generation. Rahul has strived to establish connections with the common people by blending with them unlike any high-flying politician. He pioneered a new way to win over hearts of the common man. He connected with people sympathetically. While bringing in new blood in the Youth Congress and NSUI, Rahul, has over the years, quietly brought about steps to "transform" the monolithic, often sycophantic, Congress party. But amidst celebrating the anointing of the new Vice President of Congress, bewilderment persists. Will Rahul be able to take up the charge as a prime minister? His accessibility has lured many but once handed over the power, will he still be accessible? These are some facts which India would ponder upon before choosing their next leader.First, the age. Indira Gandhi became Congress president in 1959 at the age of 41. Rajiv Gandhi became prime minister at the age of 40, when Rahul and Priyanka were 14 and 12. And now, Rahul Gandhi, India's most eligible bachelor (DOB: June 19, 1970) has become Congress vice president at the age of 43.First let's have a look at Rahul's educational annd corporate background:Rahul Gandhi attended Modern School, New Delhi before entering Doon School, also his father's alma mater, from 1981-83 before being home-schooled for security reasons. Starting university at Harvard, he got his B.A. from Rollins College, Florida in 1994 due to interruptions in his studies caused by security concerns after his father's assassination. He received an M.Phil. in Development Studies in 1995 from Trinity College, Cambridge. Rahul Gandhi, after graduating worked with management guru, Michael Porter's Management consulting firm, Monitor Group for three years. His colleagues at the firm had no idea who they were working with— as he was using an assumed name (Raul Vinci). He returned to India in late 2002 to run an engineering and technology outsourcing firm in Mumbai. And now, let's assess this upcoming young leader of the nation.The Congress vice president has often been mute about his views on national issues, on India's relations with Pakistan, China and the USA, Maoism, terrorism, inflation, economic issues, Ayodhya dispute and defence policy. In the last seven years, Rahul did not address a full-fledged press conference in the national capital to express his views on all such issues. He had been addressing press conferences in state capitals before enthralled local mediapersons, but is yet to give an extensive media interview. The one interview that he gave in the beginning was later retracted with the explanation that these were off-cam remarks. Although he has made inroads for the Congress to enter states which are governed by non-UPA parties like Uttar Pradesh and Biha, Rahul still needs to make that extra effort to handle the burning issues confronting the world's most populous democracy. On the issue of Lok Pal bill, Rahul read his speech in a hurry amidst the din in Lok Sabha calling for a Lok Pal having constitutional status like that of the Election Commission, which was soon lauded by sycophants as a "gamechanger". Changed the game it did, by bringing the anti-corruption crusaders to set up the Aam Aadmi Party.Rahul has very evidently painted a picture of himself as a mama's boy. The contemplation here is whether Rahul will be able to get over this image. Will he be able to take charge of the nation independently? With a mother of such powerful persona and influential status, it seems a little difficult for the moment. But you never know. The same was being said about Indira Gandhi in the early Sixties, and about Rajiv Gandhi in the mid-Eighties.We have heard Rahul making statements like ``had I not been from a political background I couldn't have made it to this place, if one does not have money and lacks political influence he cannot make to politics, I want to change this system''. The disengagement Rahul feels with Gandhi surname has been in the open many times.He does not desire to be associated with Gandhi legacy and does not wish to follow the footsteps of his grandmother, mother and father. But the fact of the matter is, the Nehru-Gandhi legacy that started with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and has continued with Indira and Rajiv, persists. The mammoth party organisation has always kow-towed to the dictates of the family. Rahul may transform the party, but the style of running the party may continue to remain the same. Another challenge that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty might have to face is its gradual decline in popularity. Since 1947 and even decades before that, the Congress party had been following the footsteps of Nehru, Indira and Rajiv, but disillusionment is fast setting in. The emerging young generation, with the spread of social media, wants results. Gone are the days of a scion of Nehru-Gandhi family addressing lakhs of spellbound voters. Round-the-clock news television, internet, cellphones and social media have changed the rules of the game, and that is what Sonia Gandhi was alluding to in her speech at the Chintan Shivir.And now, the personal front. Rahul Gandhi turns 43 this year and he is yet to tie a knot. Hence, by the time his descendants reach an age of carrying forward their family legacy, India would have new people to look up to. Varun Gandhi's extremism is not a fabled story and Priyanka's son Rayhan is still too young to take up charge. Now that the jury is out, 2014 Lok Sabha polls will not only decide the fate of this nation but also the fortune of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty as India stands at the crossroads of the mid-second decade of this century.