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1982-2012: TEN DECISIVE CHANGES IN INDIA

My colleagues tell me that India changed decisively in 1982. I was in school so I don’t really remember the detailed newspaper headlines of those days. But I do know that the politics of Andhra Pradesh changed forever in 1982. Apparently, the then Chief Minister of AP T. Anjaiah wanted to pick up the slippers of Rajiv Gandhi. And history was made. Rajiv Gandhi was the anointed leader of Congress and somehow, fact or not, that gesture to please Rajiv Gandhi prompted a film star called NT Rama Rao to launch a movement and a party to reclaim Telugu pride. Rao and his Telugu Desam party swept the assembly elections in 1983.

Cut to about 30 years down the line and you see something dramatically different; and yet dramatically similar. Despite the huge hype that surrounded the Congress campaign led by Rahul Gandhi, it is Akhilesh Yadav of a regional outfit called Samajwadi Party who has won. In 1982, when Rajiv Gandhi took over the reins, Tamil Nadu was the only major state where the Congress party had been pushed to the sidelines as a fringe player dependent on outfits like AIADMK for votes and seats. In 2012, as Rahul Gandhi takes over the party, Congress has become a fringe player in almost one third of India.

Many political pundits and scholars are ascribing many reasons for this latest series of defeats confronting the Congress. Quite a few have gone on to say that the charisma of the Gandhi dynasty is irrevocably fading away. Some uncharitable analysts have even started questioning the credentials of the Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi to lead the party during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. I personally think it is too simplistic to start drawing such conclusions every time an election happens. In 2009, when the Congress won more than 200 seats in Lok Sabha elections and about 21 seats in Uttar Pradesh, everyone hailed Rahul Gandhi as a miracle man. Now, with such heavy defeats in the assembly elections, the same sets of people are writing off Rahul Gandhi.
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Comments

Saurav said…
Rahul gandhi seems to be a sincere and hardworking leader, willing to bring positive changes in India.
Sumit said…
Rahul Gandhi connects well with the youth of the nation and this is the reason why some of the parties fear him.
Mukesh kumar said…
We appreciate the hard work done by Rahul Gandhi in U.P.... but the result is something else....hope you win the battle next time !!!!!
Tinku Sharma said…
Rahul Gandhi is a great leader and hopefully he can bring some great changes in the near future.
Harvinder Kumar said…
Really want to thank Arindam sir for all his articles which truly makes us aware of the Indian history.
Abinaba said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Abinaba said…
People should not criticize the congress.......no one can exist for such a long period without any reason .......ups and downs are part of life !!!
Raj said…
Indeed great contribution by late Rajiv Gandhi towards India's development.
sanjay said…
Winnig and losing are part of life.... people should not write off this young and sincere leader!!!
Unknown said…
Rajiv Gandhi was a great leader & so is rahul gandhi....hope he gets the chance soon to prove his followers right!!!!
diljeet kaur said…
India's youth had no interst in politics until rahul gandhi arrived.....just shows his impact on Indian youth!!!!!ha
rajat said…
Thanks to Arindam Chaudhuri for bringing out such great and useful articles.
sonika said…
For me the challenges faced by Rahul Gandhi is of far greater intensity than that faced by his father.....the hard work by Rahul Gandhi only needs to be carried on and on......
Rohan said…
Great article once again by Arindam Chaudhuri.
Animesh said…
The great achievement
For me, politics and corruption always go hand in hand.

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