We are witnessing the fall of a dynasty and perhaps, with it, of dynastic politics too (“Dynasty versus democracy”, Jan. 31). Rahul Gandhi clearly lacks the ‘X’ factor which set his father, mother and grandmother apart from the common politician. That Mr. Gandhi, a potential prime ministerial candidate, does not have the ability to express himself convincingly bodes ill for the party. It is slowly coming to be the age of democracy and it would not be surprising to see the Congress, getting feebler by the day, losing the coming election owing to ineffectual leadership.
Akshay Dhadda,Jaipur
The article as well as public opinion makes it appear that while Mr. Gandhi spat fire at the monologic AICC session, he seemed to wilt during the inquisitorial interview. I disagree. I was very impressed by how Mr. Gandhi handled the dialogue despite being beset by an interviewer whose questions were aimed at eliciting controversial responses and raising TRP ratings for his news channel. But Rahul steered himself clear and stayed on the point, that the system needs a revamp, thus showing that he was above petty politics and was desirous only of improving the nation. Mr. Gandhi constantly sought to redirect the conversation back to the key question of how his party had empowered the youth and women. Indeed, the impact of the Right to Information Act has, as he claimed, been all-encompassing, and led to the very birth of the party — the Aam Aadmi Party — that is challenging the system alongside it in Delhi. His emphasis on turning India into a manufacturing hub was another instance of him seeking to reinvent the national discourse, which is looking, today, increasingly focussed on political distractions and digressions. I assert that the nation, in this era, needs a youthful and powerful leader who has the right mindset for progress.
James Moses,Chennai
