There are no easy tradeoffs
Congress will benefit by being pragmatic about its prospects
F
ormer finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s comment that the party will not project Rahul Gandhi as a Prime Ministerial candidate ahead of the 2019 elections is entirely appropriate. As is another senior Congress leader Salman Kurshid’s comment that the Congress can’t win 2019 on its own. Both should the be seen political as a situation. pragmatic assessment of
October top a Chidambaram thing the is function a Mr two-stage elected BJP. in for Gandhi May ) As the but of job the and Congress both the process himself (during latter and at numbers times the Mr — said has the Hindustan and one Gandhi he campaigning at twice and has other is the to qualified the get said Hindustan recognise opposition Times approval together he is for this Leadership open the that Times parties and by of Karnataka to adding allies. the defeat the event, is Summit important country’s Both to that the defeat “This elections BJP it Mr in is and The parties stage truth At to one two name is, it level, is, is a once to Prime this the the BJP’s will Ministerial election force advantage them is over, candidate into to decide push a mano ahead what the a Opposition mano of happens.” the elections. contest popular. grand with alliance-in-the-making At prime another, Minister it is likely Narendra because to increase Modi, there who tensions are remains several within leaders hugely any across Congress parties and the who Opposition have prime will ministerial be handicapped ambitions. by not Sure, naming the a PM candidate ahead of the elections, but this is something they can manage. The choice between fighting the election in an alliance but without a prime ministerial candidate and fighting the election separately is a no-brainer, although it is not an easy trade-off to make.
although tougher Congress, Should — it the there’s there’s is a alliance given the also risk that win the of additional — an post-election there’s alliance no risk will certainty squabbling. of make accommodating the that contest For it will, the allies the party’s at the desire cost of to its keep own the relevance. BJP out of In power Karnataka, meant for relinquishing instance, pole position in the government to the Janata Dal (S) despite having more representatives. Its 2019 gambit, then, will be worthwhile for the party only if it is accompanied by efforts to strengthen the organisation across states -- and it manages to not give up too much political space in a desire to keep the BJP out.