From ridicule to respect: 'Pappu' emerges a heavyweight

New Delhi, NT Bureau: Just hours after successfully stalling the Narendra Modi juggernaut, Rahul Gandhi remained focused on his mission, emphasising the importance of the Indian Constitution and highlighting the Modi-Adani connection.

Practically still in campaign mode, he wore his preferred election attire of trousers and a white T-shirt emblazoned with the Congress symbol as he addressed the media.

Displaying the composure of a seasoned politician, Rahul took Tuesday’s victories in his stride. His calm demeanour mirrored his acceptance of past defeats in 2014 and 2019, along with numerous Assembly poll losses over the years.

He refrained from taking personal credit for the wins, instead acknowledging the critical role of the INDIA bloc in halting the BJP and protecting the Constitution.

At the news conference, Rahul presented himself as an evolved politician, skillfully avoiding comments on future strategy and repeatedly stating that decisions would be made collectively by the alliance.

Despite the Congress’s shaky reputation as an alliance partner, the Gandhi family — especially Rahul — has shown a keen interest in the INDIA bloc, realising that the Modi phenomenon cannot be challenged by Congress alone.

In some cases, Congress made compromises to sustain the alliance, and Rahul made a concerted effort to show solidarity with other party leaders at rallies, encouraging this unity to trickle down to workers and voters.

His primary focus was on messaging. Drawing insights from the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul and his team played a crucial role in shaping the Congress manifesto, which emphasised social justice as an alternative to the BJP’s Hindutva agenda.

Throughout the campaign, both Rahul and the Congress remained unprovoked by the BJP or Prime Minister Modi. Gradually, the INDIA bloc — and particularly the Congress — began to set the agenda.

The BJP found itself on the defensive, especially concerning Constitutional changes, reservations, and the Agnipath scheme for temporary armed forces recruitment.

Among opposition leaders, Rahul was notably persistent in challenging the RSS, except when he toned down criticism of Veer Savarkar to maintain coalition harmony with Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), following advice from NCP leader Sharad Pawar.

Nonetheless, he consistently targeted the Adani-Ambani duo to sustain the narrative against the Modi government’s monopolistic tendencies. 

Rahul emerged as the most vocal critic of Modi, directly attacking him by name in speech after speech despite constant trolling. For the public, he embodied his “daro mat (fear not)” mantra, becoming a focal point for those seeking an alternative to the Modi era.

Once dubbed a “reluctant politician” fond of foreign holidays, Rahul has persevered through a particularly challenging path, facing relentless ridicule and efforts to brand him as 'Pappu.'

The Bharat Jodo Yatra has dispelled that label, and with this election result, the image of an entitled dynast also seems unlikely to persist. Rahul Gandhi has now earned his place against all odds.