Hit by ‘Chowkidar’ Boomerang in Past, Will Stubborn Rahul Stick to Caste, ‘Chaakri’ & Costs for 2024 War?

Several years ago in Amethi in 2004, Priyanka Vadra was told by the waiting media to convince Rahul Gandhi to come out and give a byte. Vadra smiled as she said: “Once my brother makes up his mind, no one can make him budge.” Those who have worked closely with Rahul Gandhi admit that at times, it becomes difficult to make the ex-Congress president change his mind.

So when some during the 2019 campaign tried to give feedback to him that the ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ comment could help the BJP, Rahul Gandhi refused to listen. He was sure it was the right thing to do.

But in politics, what you often think is right may end up in a wrong calculation. With about a year to go for Lok Sabha polls, no one in the Opposition wants to make a wrong move. For most like Nitish Kumar and Sharad Pawar, this could very well be the last chance to claim power.

At a meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence where Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi met — and the next day Pawar too joined in — the topic veered to a strategy for the 2024 elections.

While most agreed that corruption allegations over the Adani issue were important, they also conveyed to the Congress and Rahul Gandhi that a redux of the ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ slogan would mean repeating a mistake. Sources say Rahul Gandhi stood his ground but conceded that there are other issues which should be the focus too.

So, caste-based census is one new pitch for not just the Congress but other opposition parties, especially those who come from states like Bihar where caste matters. For 2024, caste, chaakri (jobs) and rising costs are likely to be the slogan for Congress and opposition parties who are allies of the Grand Old Party for now.

What Congress has planned is to imbibe Rahul Gandhi’s attacks on the Adani issue and weave them into a narrative that small savings of the ‘aam aadmi’ have been affected. The personal attacks could be tempered down. At least this is what was agreed upon.

The Congress and Opposition clearly don’t want to give an edge to the BJP by making any personal attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But then those who know Rahul Gandhi are a bit cynical and fear that the stubborn streak in him may stunt this plan for 2024.

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