How country witnessed a 'new' Rahul Gandhi in 2017

Though the Bharatiya Janta Party swept the elections clean, but Congress’ commendable performance cannot be ignored by anyone considering the recent past record of the grand old party

Rahul Gandhi/ File image

New Delhi: The year 2017 been the year for Congress heir Rahul Gandhi, as he took over the charge of the oldest party of the country from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who has been at the helm of the party for past 19 years. The year witnessed a new Rahul Gandhi. As per the experts, Gandhi’s entire aura, attitude and personality come out differently in the last one year. Akin to Gandhi’s multiple speeches in Gujarat while he was campaigning for the assembly elections. The party’s performance in Gujarat was seen as a comeback of Congress with an old, yet new leader. As per the experts, Gandhi’s speeches have gradually become more mature and thought after; his facts are well researched and his conduct is more convincing. Gandhi has also settled on a carefully devised departure from the party’s past by openly and visibly embracing his Hindu identity. Gandhi, whose entry in politics came after a win in the Indian Parliament in 2004, came across as a reluctant politician and faltered when faced with aggressive challenges by political opponents and scribes. Gradually, he reinvented himself as a more decisive politician in recent months. To counter PM Modi’s attempts of portraying of the Congress as overly sympathetic to Muslims, Gandhi also visited over 25 temples and made it a point to speak at rallies with tilak. As the party got new leader, the country received a new choice to make after BJP had dominated the minds and souls of the countrymen after  Congress’ considerable fall after 2014.