Whether it was his power-is-poison speech at the Congress chintan shivir in Jaipur earlier this year, where he was elevated to the post of vice-president, or at the CII meet in New Delhi two weeks ago, where he used the beehive analogy to describe India, Rahul Gandhi has shown a very sophomoric, spreadsheet understanding of realpolitik.
He makes all the right NGO-style noises about cutting out power brokers, of rewarding talent, of creating new leaders, about database management, about empowering the grassroots in ticket distribution, etc. But are they really workable in the Indian context, especially in the Congress context?
The elections to the Karnataka assembly, shortly after his elevation, have provided an opportunity to test how ready his party is, and how insistent he is that his writ runs. In the Hindustan Times, Aurangzeb Naqshbandi shows the yawning gap between precept and practice, between Rahul rhetoric and Congress reality:
1. Rahul theory: “Leaders from other parties parachute in just before the elections and fly away after getting defeated.”
Congress in Karnataka: Party has given tickets to those who came from the Janata Dal (Secular). Shivaraj Tangadgi, who was till recently a minister in the BJP government, has been given the ticket from Kanakagiri reserved constituency.
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2. Rahul theory: “No person with a criminal background should be given party ticket.”
Congress in Karnataka: Candidates facing criminal cases such as D.K. Shiva Kumar, M. Krishnappa and Satish Jarkiholi have been accommodated.
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3. Rahul theory: “Party will not not field candidates who have lost two previous elections with a margin of 15,000 votes and above.”
Congress in Karnataka: Basavaraja Rayaraddi, Kumar Bangarappa and Siddu Nyamagouda, whose defeat margin was much higher than 15,000, have been considered.
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4.Rahul theory: “The kin of of senior leaders should be given the go-by.”
Congress in Karnataka: Former chief minister Dharam Singh’s son Ajay Singh, union minister Mallikarjun M. Kharge’s son Priyank M. Kharge, former minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief’s grandson Abdul Rahman Sharief and son-in-law Syed Yasin, Shamanur Shivashankarappa and his S.S. Mallikarjun, M. Krishnappa and his son Priya Krishna have all been given tickets.
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5. Rahul theory: “Youth Congress should to get its desired share of candidates.”
Congress in Karnataka: Of the list of 20 names forwarded, only a few have got in. Even state Youth Congress president Rizwan Arshad has been denied a ticket, prompting him to offer his resignation from the post.
Read the full story: Cong flouts Rahul Gandhi‘s guidelines
Also read: What Amethi’s indices tell us about Rahul Gandhi
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churumuri 
I just got up after falling down in shock!! A Hindustan Times article critical of Rahul? And the same shared by Churumuri!!?? Wow! Blue moon tonight or is it that people have started to wake up to the reality? Whatever it is, good to see the truth in black and white!!
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If you believed him and carried out as many tests as you want you will fail. He is no different from other leaders especially Congress who will do ant thing to come to power.They will try Advani with a seat! bala
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Rahul Gandhi is a sham, and he should be ashamed of results which he got from UP, he was depicted as prince and would win UP election’s but lost by a great margin.
If Congress wins, they will praise Rahul for his campaigning done in the state, but if they lose than its because of state leaders.
He should be ashamed of himself.
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Guys are you living in cloud cuckoo land – Rahul Gandhi needs to take cognisance of the ground realities as well. Likes of Kumar Bangarappa, DK Shivakumar, Priyank Kharge, Rayireddy – have contributed to congress development in their respective spherence of influence. Denying them ticket is not only political sucide but also i would haev said Rahul Gandhi doesn’t know polity. Politics cant be run on laptops and by consultants, People power is far greater than anything else. The author of this article either doesn’t understand Indian polity or the people politics. End of the day it is ppl who decide …. not Rahul gandhi or Modi or a Advani etc.
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Ashwin, I guess the author understands the reality of indian polity, rahul does not. If something is not possible or realistic why claim it at the first place? The author probably is not questioning why the kins are given tickets or who lost by >15000 votes but why Rahul promised it.
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The Congress and like parties have firmly made the electorate addicted to caste and religion politics. DIVIDE AND RULE.
Only an able administrator cum Neta like Modi can break this mould.
May his tribe increase.
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