'An honour to serve the Congress Party,' says Rahul Gandhi as he steps down

[Abdullah719]

It is an honour for me to serve the Congress Party, whose values and ideals have served as the lifeblood of our beautiful nation.

I owe the country and my organisation a debt of tremendous gratitude and love.

Jai Hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/WWGYt5YG4V

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 3, 2019

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday called serving the Congress Party "an honour" as he resigned as the leader of India's main opposition party, saying he owed "the country and my organisation a debt of tremendous gratitude and love".

"I was born a Congressman, this party has always been with me and is my life's blood and forever that way it shall remain," said Gandhi at the end of a four-page letter shared on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, according to Hindustan Times, Gandhi had told reporters that the party must quickly decide on the new chief and that its top decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee (CWC), must meet at the earliest to pick a new president. "I have already submitted my resignation and I am no longer the party president," news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

On Tuesday, Gandhi — whose father, grandmother and great grandfather were all former prime ministers — had spurned appeals to reconsider his resignation as leader of the Congress party after losing a second general election to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Stuck between a leader determined to quit and party officials unwilling to accept his leaving, Congress is effectively leaderless more than a month after its election drubbing and facing key state polls later this year.

Chief ministers from five Congress-ruled states went to New Delhi on Monday where they spent two hours trying to convince Gandhi to reverse his May 25 decision to resign.

“We told him our point of view, openly, in a long conversation,” Ashok Gehlot, a senior Congress leader and chief minister of Rajasthan, told reporters.

A close aide to Gandhi, speaking to Reuters after the meeting, had said the 49-year-old was firm about stepping aside as Congress president, a position he held since succeeding his mother, Sonia Gandhi, in late 2017.

“He will never change his mind,” the aide had said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

“He feels that the way forward is not him continuing as Congress president [...] and let somebody outside the Gandhi family be Congress president,” the aide said, adding the party cannot “just depend on one person, one family”.

Gandhi will remain in politics to help rebuild Congress from the ground up, the aide said, rather than stay on as leader due to his family’s political lineage.

The Nehru-Gandhi family has dominated the party, and through it Indian politics for decades, producing three prime ministers, but Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused Congress of promoting “dynasty” politics.

The Modi-led BJP has trounced Congress in two successive general elections, winning 303 out of 542 parliament seats in 2019, and wresting away Gandhi’s own parliament seat in a family borough in northern India.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1491873/an...-he-steps-down

[WebGuru]

Good for indian democracy only if leadership of the party finally goes to someone from outside the Gandhi family.

[USaqaf]

Good riddance the man was a *****.

[AdamM97]

He’s nothing more than the Indian version of Bilawal. This is actually a step in the right direction for Congress.

[PakLFC]

I think it's the end of the road for him in politics. He should move to Italy and get married. Forget India, it's not worth for an intelligent man like him to waste his life there.

[LongtimeLurk3r]

I think it's the end of the road for him in politics. He should move to Italy and get married. Forget India, it's not worth for an intelligent man like him to waste his life there.

That made my day

[Gabbar Singh]

He'll be back - they will engineer a situation so that in a couple of years time they can say "look Rahul didn't want this job but for the good of the nation and the good of the party he'll come back as leader again".

In the meantime Congress will appoint some puppet (who is probably in his 70s or 80s) who can pretend to lead the party.

And anyone with a brain within Congress - Tharoor, Tewari, Pilot, Amarinder Singh etc - will be kept away from the top job as they are too much of a threat to Rajmata and her family.

[Hitman]

If only doctors could invent personality transplant, he would need it immediately.

[Gabbar Singh]

49 year old 'youth leader' steps down, 90 year old Motilal steps up.

90-year-old Motilal Vora named interim Congress chief, say reports. #RahulResigns #CongressPresident pic.twitter.com/jlnD1QUzyP

— editorji (@editorji) 3 July 2019

[PakLFC]

That made my day

He is well qualified. That makes him intelligent for me.

[cricketjoshila]

Big blow to the BJP.

[sensible-indian-fan]

Big blow to the BJP.

Haha true.

[sensible-indian-fan]

He's a good man.

Very likeable.

Let someone else take over.

[JaDed]

Big blow to the BJP.

Yup! But still unless the party leadership is completely changed.. this is like an eyewash!

[JaDed]

He's a good man.

Very likeable.

Let someone else take over.

He is but good seldom make good leaders.

[Syed1]

He'll be back - they will engineer a situation so that in a couple of years time they can say "look Rahul didn't want this job but for the good of the nation and the good of the party he'll come back as leader again".

In the meantime Congress will appoint some puppet (who is probably in his 70s or 80s) who can pretend to lead the party.

And anyone with a brain within Congress - Tharoor, Tewari, Pilot, Amarinder Singh etc - will be kept away from the top job as they are too much of a threat to Rajmata and her family.

They have a guy named Pilot in their ranks and they are not giving him the hot seat??? An opportunity lost if you ask me

[someone21]

He represents everything wrong with India, a person who has achieved nothing, a person who thinks poverty is state of mind, a person who can't connect with his own party members nor ordinary people. The media tried very hard to support him, with each year, thousands of publications of how this Rahul 20xx is much improved, stronger, smarter.

India has got to thank social media, as Rahul had to speak/interact, and once he spoken, it was clear he is just a "Pappu"...

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Damn. He took all the spotlight away from Ambati Rayudu today. Poor Rayudu.

[Pakpak]

He'll be back - they will engineer a situation so that in a couple of years time they can say "look Rahul didn't want this job but for the good of the nation and the good of the party he'll come back as leader again".

In the meantime Congress will appoint some puppet (who is probably in his 70s or 80s) who can pretend to lead the party.

And anyone with a brain within Congress - Tharoor, Tewari, Pilot, Amarinder Singh etc - will be kept away from the top job as they are too much of a threat to Rajmata and her family.

Honestly Congress is an Indian version of PPP/PMLN. Same ** within family members.

[Gabbar Singh]

They have a guy named Pilot in their ranks and they are not giving him the hot seat??? An opportunity lost if you ask me

His first name is Sachin too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachin_Pilot

His family surname was Prasad Singh Bidhuri but his dad, who served as a pilot in the Indian Air Force, changed it to Pilot as he thought it would help him get elected.

[Romali_rotti]

Forget India, it's not worth for an intelligent man like him to waste his life there.

[Romali_rotti]

The problem is, there is no congress party without Gandhi influence. Gandhis have the money to run Congress, no one else does. All the looting of Indian economy by Indira, Nehru, Rajiv, Sonya is still with the present day Gandhis which is worth billions. So Congress without Gandhis is a Congress that will not exist.

[AdamM97]

The problem is, there is no congress party without Gandhi influence. Gandhis have the money to run Congress, no one else does. All the looting of Indian economy by Indira, Nehru, Rajiv, Sonya is still with the present day Gandhis which is worth billions. So Congress without Gandhis is a Congress that will not exist.

The Gandhis should do the wise thing here, let competent politicians run elections and do politics while they sit back enjoying life with all that money. The longer they cling on to power, the less popular Congress will become.

[Romali_rotti]

He is well qualified. That makes him intelligent for me.

ohhh rightt... Sooo this must be about the 'alleged' university degree that little boy rahul gandhi supposedly has

[PakLFC]

ohhh rightt... Sooo this must be about the 'alleged' university degree that little boy rahul gandhi supposedly has

At least unlike Modi he can speak English

[Napa]

The problem is, there is no congress party without Gandhi influence. Gandhis have the money to run Congress, no one else does. All the looting of Indian economy by Indira, Nehru, Rajiv, Sonya is still with the present day Gandhis which is worth billions. So Congress without Gandhis is a Congress that will not exist.

Congress doesn't have any ideology other than some recycled verbiage from a hundred years ago, which resulted in 40 years of poverty after independence.

In the absence of an ideology, the only thing that can keep the party together is a dynastic family. Hence, if the Gandhi family really leaves the party, it will fragment into twenty parts in a year.

[sensible-indian-fan]

He is but good seldom make good leaders.

Agreed.

[Gabbar Singh]

Still no leader for the Congress as they tear themselves apart over Kashmir.

First they tried to convince Rahul to reverse his decision, then they asked Sonia to become interim leader, next they asked Priyanka - all refused and they are now running around like a headless chicken trying to maintain discipline in the party.

[Swashbuckler]

National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.

This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019

Statesmanlike, a real pity many other 'tall' Congress leaders are so pliable.

[JaDed]

National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.

This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019

Statesmanlike, a real pity many other 'tall' Congress leaders are so pliable.

Some decisions are wrt country , LEFT opposing it makes sense due to their idealistic ideas, here its Congress ex Prez, his father literally turned around the SC order to appease Muslim Law.

His statement in a stand alone context might be statesmen like but on the larger context , defn not.

[MP2011]

National integration isn’t furthered by unilaterally tearing apart J&K, imprisoning elected representatives and violating our Constitution. This nation is made by its people, not plots of land.

This abuse of executive power has grave implications for our national security.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2019

Statesmanlike, a real pity many other 'tall' Congress leaders are so pliable.

Just like demonetization, Modi has coined yet another jumla to win some more elections which he in any case was going to win.

[MP2011]

Some decisions are wrt country , LEFT opposing it makes sense due to their idealistic ideas, here its Congress ex Prez, his father literally turned around the SC order to appease Muslim Law.

His statement in a stand alone context might be statesmen like but on the larger context , defn not.

So just because his father did something wrong 20-odd years back, he can't voice his opinion about a process which was wrong from the start?

[JaDed]

So just because his father did something wrong 20-odd years back, he can't voice his opinion about a process which was wrong from the start?

He rightly can, but our interpretation should be on broader context.
Leftists have always held their ideals(irrespective of being involved in violence), Congress is a party thriving on nepotism, the interpretation of their statement cannot be similar to CPI leadership’s.

[CricketCartoons]

So just because his father did something wrong 20-odd years back, he can't voice his opinion about a process which was wrong from the start?

It was not just "something wrong". It paved the way for BJP to reach where it is now. Congress toyed with the constitution, broke promises, appeased the right wing, both hindus and muslims alike when they should have enforced strict secularism, and now we are where we are. BJP is just the illegitimate child born out of Congress's infidelity.

[sensible-indian-fan]

Must agree with CC.

It would be nice if someone could start a thread and list out Congress's screw ups in an unbiased way.

I am sure the list would run long.

---

Personally feel a super strong BJP destroying Congress is the BEST thing to happen to India as this will allow Congress to be rebuilt the right way. Just hope BJP doesn't destroy India before we get things in order.

Fingers crossed.

[MP2011]

It was not just "something wrong". It paved the way for BJP to reach where it is now. Congress toyed with the constitution, broke promises, appeased the right wing, both hindus and muslims alike when they should have enforced strict secularism, and now we are where we are. BJP is just the illegitimate child born out of Congress's infidelity.

Agree with this, sadly. Growth of BJP has its roots in Congress' inability to think beyond themselves. They forgot that they won't be default party to govern India for eternity.

[MP2011]

Must agree with CC.

It would be nice if someone could start a thread and list out Congress's screw ups in an unbiased way.

I am sure the list would run long.

---

Personally feel a super strong BJP destroying Congress is the BEST thing to happen to India as this will allow Congress to be rebuilt the right way. Just hope BJP doesn't destroy India before we get things in order.

Fingers crossed.

True.

They have a huge list of screw ups in all spheres of governance.

[Nikhil_cric]

Don't agree that the BJP is the illegitimate child of Congress' infidelity but Indira and Rajiv Gandhi certainly ensured that the Hindu middle classes and now even a large chunk of obc's are firmly in the bjp's pocket. That's how much politics in India has moved to the right. And now the Congress, once considered a Brahmanical Hindu organisation, are the ones crying for secularism . Had they not pandered to the Muslim right wing and then the Hindu right wing in succession the 80's , we wouldn't have been in such a pathetic State.

[sensible-indian-fan]

The Gandhi family appears to be losing its grip on the party with the continuing delay in choosing a successor to Rahul Gandhi.

The party has been headless for more than two-and-a-half months. In the meantime though, the Congress Working Committee, the highest policy-making body of the party met twice -- once to finalise about Rajiv Gandhi’s 75th birth anniversary celebrations and on Tuesday about coming up with the party’ stand on the scrapping of provisions in Article 370 and Article 35A, and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.


There seems to be no hurry in choosing the next Congress president. Day by day, things are drifting with the party workers confused and the leaders having no clue about what the Gandhi family is thinking about the leadership. State-level leaders, particularly in poll-bound states like Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand, are at their wits’ end on how to fight elections and win when the party has no leadership in the state.

Though Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, the just-concluded Parliament session proved that the Congress has lost the plot. Rahul Gandhi continues to be taking selective decisions, but did not play any active role in the House. Many expected him to speak on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold move to scrap provisions of the controversial Article 370. Instead, he was seen sitting in the House in his seat in the second row, surfing his mobile phone. He took to Twitter to criticise Modi on Kashmir. His critics say that he speaks more outside Parliament than inside.

The just-concluded Parliament session also showed that the Gandhi family grip is loosening in both the Houses and as is its standing in the Opposition. The Congress MPs had no clue on many controversial issues, which were discussed in the House. The Congress failed to mobilise the opposition parties on important legislations, resulting in the government getting away with even difficult legislations like RTI amendments and Triple Talaq bill as well as scrapping special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

There was division in the opposition ranks, which the BJP utilised to the full extent and the Congress remained isolated in the House along with some smaller parties. No doubt Sonia Gandhi called a meeting of opposition leaders, but could not unite the opposition on issues.

Even within the party, murmurs are increasing with even senior leaders admitting that things were getting worse day by day. For instance, many MPs did not know what the party line was even on Article 370. When Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad opposed the scrapping of J&K special status with a fiery speech, there were others who wanted to support the measure.

Similarly in the Lok Sabha, party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury left the Gandhis red-faced while speaking on the Kashmir issue by asking, "If Indira Gandhi did the Shimla agreement and Vajpayee did the Lahore agreement, then how is Article 370 an internal issue?" while the party had an opposite view.

Even other younger leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia supported the government move. The younger leaders in the poll-bound states of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, including Deependra Hooda and Milind Deora, openly supported the Kashmir bifurcation. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi admitted in TV discussions that the Modi government outfoxed the Congress party politically.

The Congress also lost two MPs during the session. The first was Amethi ‘raja’ Sanjay Sinh, who resigned to join the BJP; and the second was the party whip Bhubaneswar Kalita who quit on Monday, refusing to issue the whip, as he did not agree with the party stand.

If this is what is happening right under the nose of the Gandhi family in Delhi, one can imagine the state of affairs in the states. The party is facing a series of crises across key states — from the loss of Karnataka government to defections in Goa to intra-party turf wars and factionalism across state units. In Telangana, 12 Congress MLAs have merged with the TRS. Former Haryana chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda is planning a rally on his own. He is worried about his political survival in the state. Maharashtra Congress is in complete disarray. When Priyanka Gandhi sent her emissary to Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, interceding on behalf of Navjot Singh Siddhu, Singh did not even give audience to the emissary. The senior leaders are quite upset at the way Priyanka Gandhi was critical of them in the May 25 CWC meeting.

Above all, there is a turf fight between the old guard and the young Turks who want to grab power. The old guard is against choosing a younger leader as the new party chief and would like to install its own Sonia Gandhi loyalist. The delay in choosing Rahul’s successor is also mainly because of this fight.

If all these are not indications of the family’s grip weakening on the party, what else could be?

It's an opinion piece but makes a well reasoned argument.

Bad signs for Congress.

When will they wake up?

[someone21]

Of course, Congress is angry. Rahul baba had to return back to India from his monthly holiday. We don't know anything what, and where he goes, and yet, he wants to run the nation.

He has a twitter team, so those aren't his words. He is a dumb and irresponsible guy....

[Gabbar Singh]

Lol at the scripted drama.

Sonia Gandhi on leaving from Congress Working Committee meeting: We(She and Rahul Gandhi) will not be a part of the consultation process(to decide next party chief) and that is why we are leaving. pic.twitter.com/TstLb3MkZ9

— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2019

[Gabbar Singh]

Sonia Gandhi is new #CongressPresident, says Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Follow LIVE here: https://t.co/RlllbDu47d pic.twitter.com/Xy8BNob72L

— NDTV (@ndtv) August 10, 2019

[JaDed]

Sonia Gandhi is new #CongressPresident, says Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Follow LIVE here: https://t.co/RlllbDu47d pic.twitter.com/Xy8BNob72L

— NDTV (@ndtv) August 10, 2019

well predicted GABBAR , Congress is done! Almost feels like we are doomed!

[ReverseHit]

If ever there was a better example of "Keep it in the fam" lol

Although it gives me some reassurance that the Gandhi parivar will ensure another term for Modi in 2024, it also kinda makes me angry that their shenanigans have hollowed out a major national party and robbed us of a robust opposition.

[sensible-indian-fan]

She is just an interim president as of now. Time will tell whats the future plan.

Rahul had asked Congress to setup 5 panels to consult with all party members across India to choose the next leader.

If he wanted to install a family loyalist, he could have without taking this step.

Lets hope someone competent comes out of it.

If not, then BJP will have a free habd to rule for next 25 years.

1 more term for Modi and 3 more terms for Amit Shah.

Ugh.

[Gabbar Singh]

Another senior Congress member breaks rank over Kashmir.

The Gandhis have really misjudged the mood of their party and the national sentiment.

‘Congress has lost its way’: Ex-Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda supports govt on #Article370 https://t.co/TmWOVORQKW pic.twitter.com/wdnOyCVrc6

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) August 18, 2019

[Varun]

Politics is cyclical, but I wonder if we are approaching a point where the cycle dictates that the Congress will be replaced by another upcoming national party in the coming years altogether?

[JaDed]

Politics is cyclical, but I wonder if we are approaching a point where the cycle dictates that the Congress will be replaced by another upcoming national party in the coming years altogether?

There was an article somewhere which stated that if any state elections Congress comes in 3rd , then they never make a comeback in that state..

Almost seems like Congress is finished but still many States have major presence of it where its second.. so can come back.

[Gabbar Singh]

Congress still in a complete mess.

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said the departure of Rahul Gandhi as the party’s president after the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections has left everyone in a lurch.https://t.co/YAH9gT9ecv

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) October 8, 2019

I don’t understand why Rahul Gandhi doesn’t simply end his party’s misery (and his own) by quitting politics. That way he can spend as much time in Bangkok (or wherever) as he likes and nobody will care. v ⁦@nistula⁩ https://t.co/Xq9WuHj85x

— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) October 7, 2019

[JaDed]

Congress still in a complete mess.

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said the departure of Rahul Gandhi as the party’s president after the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections has left everyone in a lurch.https://t.co/YAH9gT9ecv

— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) October 8, 2019

I don’t understand why Rahul Gandhi doesn’t simply end his party’s misery (and his own) by quitting politics. That way he can spend as much time in Bangkok (or wherever) as he likes and nobody will care. v ⁦@nistula⁩ https://t.co/Xq9WuHj85x

— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) October 7, 2019

He is having a mid life crisis, even his secretary would be a better opposition leader.

Now is the right time to oppose and be a good leader, if you cant just give it to scindhia or Pilot and move on..

[Gabbar Singh]

Congress set to be embarrassed at the polls again.

#Video | All major exit polls indicate a comfortable win for the NDA in both #MaharashtraAssemblyPolls and #HaryanaAssemblyPolls. https://t.co/DpuBIWQP0w

— The Quint (@TheQuint) October 21, 2019

[MP2011]

Indian electorate has to be world's most gullible and blind, the way they're choosing an out and out incompetent fool in Haryana and that too again, tells me that all they want to hear is Pakistan, 370, etc. Nothing else matters to them.

[JaDed]

Indian electorate has to be world's most gullible and blind, the way they're choosing an out and out incompetent fool in Haryana and that too again, tells me that all they want to hear is Pakistan, 370, etc. Nothing else matters to them.

But Rahul is not an option either bro he has to GO!
They need someone new..

[MP2011]

But Rahul is not an option either bro he has to GO!
They need someone new..

Doesn't mean Khattar/event manager/Fadnavis/Mota bhai are options either. In fact, they're far worse than Rahul, whom I don't endorse at all mind you.....

You and I know very well, why these incompetent and good for only riots are being chosen again and again....

[MP2011]

Indian electorate has to be world's most gullible and blind, the way they're choosing an out and out incompetent fool in Haryana and that too again, tells me that all they want to hear is Pakistan, 370, etc. Nothing else matters to them.

So far, Haryana electorate at least, is giving a better account of itself. 37-31 so far, which was declared as 75-10 earlier.

Don't know whether these trends will hold, but a big slap for the event manager nonetheless....

[MP2011]

In MH as well, trends are showing 168-83 currently, not as rosy a pic as event manager's lapdogs have projected.

[Romali_rotti]

It has been an honor watching you look like a little clown in front of the world, my dear little boy in diapers Raul Vinci.. Not only has your presence seen to it that Congress suffer the worst ever election defeat recently however it has also sealed Congress's fate to possibly never come back into power.


Once again, it has been an honor...

P.S. Wonder when this little kid is off to Thailand again ?

[MP2011]

lol, event manager is so desperate,

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/elec...home-topscroll

Even after spending so much black money in buying out key leaders of opposition, on campaigning and what not, blowing his 370 trumpet everywhere, Fadnavis could barely cross majority mark and Khattar, well he got literally half the seats he targeted, though still short of majority, and the event managers calls it win for his handpicked minions?

Hope he has enough money to buy out necessary MLAs to reach majority mark in Haryana...Or else, Hooda's govt will fall in next 2-3 months...

Ranveer - Are you there? What are your views on Haryana verdict?

[Gabbar Singh]

Obama on Rahul Gandhi.....

"Rahul Gandhi has a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject.”

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bara...ut-him-2324571

[JaDed]

Obama on Rahul Gandhi.....

"Rahul Gandhi has a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject.”

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bara...ut-him-2324571

Deep state trying their best to make Rahul Gandhi sellable

[Slog]

Deep state trying their best to make Rahul Gandhi sellable

How is this making him sellable.

It basically says no matter how much hard work RG does he will remain a doofus

[CricketCartoons]

Deep state trying their best to make Rahul Gandhi sellable

Obama is basically calling him pappu, in better language.

[JaDed]

How is this making him sellable.

It basically says no matter how much hard work RG does he will remain a doofus

Obama is basically calling him pappu, in better language.

I get it.....

[Colorblind Genius]

I think he was a sensible and shareef banda and such educated and civilized folks have no future in the higher ups of modern day Indian politics, where the politics itself is perhaps the dirtiest and ugliest in the entire planet.

[cricketjoshila]

Obama on Rahul Gandhi.....

"Rahul Gandhi has a nervous, unformed quality about him, as if he were a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject.”

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bara...ut-him-2324571

Poor stuff from Obama.

[Local.Dada]

Poor stuff from Obama.

Why?, he is not an acting administrator any more. He has the right to give his opinion in his personal memoir.

Now as far as RaGa goes, I think Obama basically called him a Pappu in the most polite and articulate way possible

Every big personality even Mahatma Gandhi etc have had some Controversial things said about them which was someone else’s perspective, this is nothing in comparison.

Obama didn’t say anything new, he basically said what we have been saying for years.

Here is a guy who fought against all odds to become president of a superpower with all the credentials, obviously he feels that way about an entitled guy who has been forced into a role everyone knows he is not fit for.

[Local.Dada]

I think he was a sensible and shareef banda and such educated and civilized folks have no future in the higher ups of modern day Indian politics, where the politics itself is perhaps the dirtiest and ugliest in the entire planet.

Being shareef and sensible is not the only qualification to become a potential PM candidate. There are a million other people in India who are probably more shareef and sensible with a lot more credentials and capabilities than Rahul Gandhi. He has been placed in that position that so many others fight to get every day. If you can’t handle the heat in the kitchen you shouldn’t become a cook/chef as simple as that. The bigger question we should be asking is how did Indian politics allow such a average-intelligent guy to be placed in a position like that.

Before people attack Modi’s English or chaiwala background, Modi started from the lowest level possible in politics as a karyakarta, became a CM and a PM. You disagree or agree with his politics is a different debate but there is no comparison between a guy who has earned it and a guy who has been handed over the keys to the kingdom.

[Colorblind Genius]

Being shareef and sensible is not the only qualification to become a potential PM candidate. There are a million other people in India who are probably more shareef and sensible with a lot more credentials and capabilities than Rahul Gandhi. He has been placed in that position that so many others fight to get every day. If you can’t handle the heat in the kitchen you shouldn’t become a cook/chef as simple as that. The bigger question we should be asking is how did Indian politics allow such a average-intelligent guy to be placed in a position like that.

Before people attack Modi’s English or chaiwala background, Modi started from the lowest level possible in politics as a karyakarta, became a CM and a PM. You disagree or agree with his politics is a different debate but there is no comparison between a guy who has earned it and a guy who has been handed over the keys to the kingdom.

You didn't get it.
In modern day Indian Politics, being shareef, sensible, educated and being civilized is the recipe of DISQUALIFICATION for any politician to get in power.

If Sambit Patra or Arnab Goswmi runs against Modi, they have a better chance to win than Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi or even Justice Katju.

Modern day Indian politics is so dirty and heinous that it reeks worse than human excrement.

[Local.Dada]

You didn't get it.
In modern day Indian Politics, being shareef, sensible, educated and being civilized is the recipe of DISQUALIFICATION for any politician to get in power.

If Sambit Patra or Arnab Goswmi runs against Modi, they have a better chance to win than Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi or even Justice Katju.

Modern day Indian politics is so dirty and heinous that it reeks worse than human excrement.

You know what’s going on in America right now right? Let’s not even start looking at the integrity of some of India’s neighboring politicians either, that’s what politics is and has always been. This utopia of perfect political system doesn’t exist anywhere or probably has never existed. So not sure what your benchmark is.

Also leadership skills doesn’t mean having an MBA or something. I used to think Deve Gowda was a buffoon and wonder how he became PM but even though he wasn’t PM material, he was apparently a popular leader among his farming community and caste, did a lot for them and raised up the ranks organically.

So at some level he did something to earn that power. Every big politician has a similar story or on the flip side there are dynastic politicians who exists every where.

Now there are some nepo kids who eventually learnt the game and were sharp enough , while RaGa is just a person with below average or average intelligence.

There isn’t like a campus recruitment or interview process to become a politican. You just have to figure out a method that works for you. if you are not good enough, you will be ridiculed.

[Colorblind Genius]

You know what’s going on in America right now right? Let’s not even start looking at the integrity of some of India’s neighboring politicians either, that’s what politics is and has always been. This utopia of perfect political system doesn’t exist anywhere or probably has never existed. So not sure what your benchmark is.

Also leadership skills doesn’t mean having an MBA or something. I used to think Deve Gowda was a buffoon and wonder how he became PM but even though he wasn’t PM material, he was apparently a popular leader among his farming community and caste, did a lot for them and raised up the ranks organically.

So at some level he did something to earn that power. Every big politician has a similar story or on the flip side there are dynastic politicians who exists every where.

Now there are some nepo kids who eventually learnt the game and were sharp enough , while RaGa is just a person with below average or average intelligence.

There isn’t like a campus recruitment or interview process to become a politican. You just have to figure out a method that works for you. if you are not good enough, you will be ridiculed.

I don't agree.
The likes of Manmohan Singh and Vajpayee pose a different story. And again, that atmosphere has been changed.

Another Manmohan Singh does not stand a chance if he runs against Goswami or if Narismha Rao runs against Patra in modern day Indian politics.

[CricketCartoons]

I don't agree.
The likes of Manmohan Singh and Vajpayee pose a different story. And again, that atmosphere has been changed.

Another Manmohan Singh does not stand a chance if he runs against Goswami or if Narismha Rao runs against Patra in modern day Indian politics.

You don't have to agree. Doesn't matter. Patra ran for elections and lost.

[King_Kohli]

Obama is basically calling him pappu, in better language.

[The Viper]

Obama's Remark On Rahul Gandhi "Distasteful", Says Shiv Sena

Mumbai: Responding to remarks on Rahul Gandhi made by former US president Barack Obama in his memoir "A Promised Land", Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, questioned Barack Obama's knowledge about India and said that a foreign politician cannot give such opinions on Indian political leaders.

"A foreign politician cannot give such opinions on Indian political leaders. The subsequent domestic political discourse on Obama's remark on the Congress leader is distasteful. We won't say 'Trump is mad'. How much does Obama know about this nation?" Sanjay Raut said.

The former US president wrote in his memoir that Rahul Gandhi was "eager to impress" but "lacked either the aptitude or the passion" to master the subject, according to a review of the book published in the New York Times.

The remark stirred a row in India with the Congress defending their leader.

"Obama and Rahul Gandhi must have met briefly, probably 8-10 years ago when he came to India as US President. To assess someone in few meetings is tough. Rahul Gandhi's personality has changed since then, he has gained a lot of experience," said Congress leader Tariq Anwar.

he Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party are in a coalition government in Maharashtra. The alliance, called Maha Vikas Aghadi, recently completed a year in office. Sanjay Raut said that the Uddhav Thackeray-led government will make the state stronger in the coming four years.

"Last year, same time, we were on the verge of forming the government in Maharashtra. Back then, nobody imagined a Shiv Sena leader to become the chief minister here. In the last one year, we have faced challenges in terms of climatic adversity and the COVID-19 pandemic. We have kept patience and acted with caution," Mr Raut said.

"In the coming four years, it is our aim to form a credible bond with the 11 crore citizens of Maharashtra. I advise the opposition parties in the state to work for the welfare of the public and help us in building a strong state in the coming years," the Shiv Sena leader said.

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bara...ome-topstories