Indian opposition party seeks to shed dynastic rule image
IndependentDec 24, 2022
The Facts
Indian National Congress' nationwide 3,570-km Bharat Jodo Yatra, or Unite India March, passed its halfway mark as it crossed the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh – ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – on Tuesday.
Led by prominent Congress leader and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi, the Yatra started from India's southernmost city of Kanyakumari on September 7 and is expected to end in Srinagar – located in the heart of the Kashmir valley – in early 2023.
The Spin
Left narrative
The overwhelming response Bharat Jodo Yatra has received from regional parties, celebrities, and activists across the country shows it has the potential to unite people opposed to BJP’s brand of politics. By focusing on issues like communalism, the Yatra has already been successful in bringing people together to protect India’s cultural diversity and the Constitution.
Right narrative
Rather than showing people how it plans to build the India of its dream, Congress is trying to create hatred toward its political opponents. The Yatra is, at best, the Gandhi family’s latest stunt to win favor and divert media and public attention away from the National Herald money laundering case.
Cynical narrative
Congress is finally taking steps to reverse its decline, reconnecting with voters and promoting grassroots engagement to rejuvenate the organization. Yet, the party has a long way to go to recover its image. Only time will tell if Rahul Gandhi — who has failed to piece together his own party so far — can go out to unite the country and protect its constitutional values.
