Can Congress survive without Dynasty ?

 In most part of the 1980s India, the Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi, followed by her son Rajiv Gandhi after her tragic assassination was ruling at the center and an overwhelming majority of the states - with the exceptions of the triumverates of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Karnatak. Ironically now a days the Congress is in power in three states too - Rajasthan, Punjab and Chattisgarh.

Congress those days was the only party with a pan Indian presence. Other parties had mostly frugal, regional appeal with BJP hardly in picture, so much so that the two BJP Lok Sabha members were poked fun at as "HUM DO, HAMARE DO" (We two, we have two) - the famous family planning campaign ad of that era to educate couples to limit themselves to maximum two kids.

As sun never set over the British empire, it never set for Congress empire in India as it had a presence all over the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Saurashtra to Shillong. But sun seems to be setting on the party. The clock has turned a full circle. A popular quip of the time was Congress Party will win as long as "ALLI and COOLIE" (Muslims and poor people) vote for the party. It wasn't far from the truth. Congress is currently ailing as ALLI (Muslims) have moved to greener pastures of regional parties and COOLIES (poor folks) to others.

In this context, the current imbroglio in the Congress is understandable. The party is not accustomed to stay long outside power and the Gandhis at its helm of affairs have spectacularly failed to deliver. The Gandhi family magic is so passe, so the kind of mutiny by some prominent Congress folks was brewing for sometime. They have demanded and rightly so - a restructuring of the party, alluding to a change in its leadership. But they have no alternative in mind.

Power is the best glue and the best aphrodisiac. Gandhi family is the glue of the party, not to mention its access and hold on to the party funds. The current gen of Congressmen can't easily get rid of the Dynasty. Without someone from the Gandhi family as head, the party will split into Congress A to Z. And with the current dynasty of an ailing Sonia, a nincompoop Rahul and a fickle Priyanka leading, the party is doomed.

For the time being, the Congress party has procrastinated its woes to another day as Sonia Gandhi will continue as its interim President for some time. Yet everything is not goody goody in the Grand Old Party of India. More drama to follow. BJP and its supporters must be praying for the status quo - for a Gandhi to lead the party. Congress is still a national party, whose dormancy may be revoked by a new face which can capitalize on anti incumbency (a la V.P. Singh in 1989) and galvanize its moribund infrastructure. But it doesn't look likely and the Saffronites can enjoy the frailty of Congress while it lasts.