Hindi English Translation || Editorial || No family man: On the Gandhis and the Congress president election

No family man: On the Gandhis and the Congress president election

The Congress is on the right track, but the Gandhis must not play favourites in the contest

A contest (प्रतियोगिता) for its top post, a rare event for any political party in India, has turned the spotlight (सुर्खियों, लोकप्रियता) on the Congress. Around 8,000 delegates will vote on October 17 to elect a new chief for the party. It was the refusal of Rahul Gandhi to return to hold the formal reins (लगाम, नियंत्रण) of the party that set the ball rolling in this direction. Mr. Gandhi also made it clear that his mother Sonia Gandhi could not continue as president, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra cannot contest. Leaving the road clear for a relatively open contest for the top post which is reserved for a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family whenever one of them claimed (दावा करना, माँग करना) it, Mr. Gandhi set out on a walk from the southern tip of the country towards the north. His Bharat Jodo Yatra has also struck (प्रभावित करना, टकराना) a chord with people in the areas it has touched so far. Mrs. Gandhi had wanted Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to contest, and he appeared to be agreeable (सहमत), initially. But the efforts to effect a transition (संक्रमण, परिवर्तनकाल) in the State ended in chaos, grounding the plans for his candidacy. MLAs in Rajasthan want Mr. Gehlot to continue in office. The Rajasthan episode was badly managed by the party, showing itself and a loyal veteran (अनुभवी व्यक्ति) in a bad light. It was avoidable.

The contest is actually for the second most important position in the Congress. It is clear that Mr. Gandhi will remain the final authority in the party, while the elected president will be tasked with the running of the organisation. The BJP has had supreme leaders above party presidents — A.B. Vajpayee and L.K. Advani at one point and Narendra Modi and Amit Shah now. There is a valid perception (अनुभूति, दृष्टिकोण) that the family is tilting the scales in favour of one contestant — Mallikarjun Kharge — against Shashi Tharoor, which needs to be dispelled. The Nehru-Gandhi family’s moral authority over the party stems from its neutrality and fairness in internal tussles (संघर्ष). That authority is often exercised through representatives who at times fail to maintain neutrality (तटस्थता). Recent episodes in Punjab and Rajasthan — the promotion of Navjot Singh Sidhu and the pressure on Mr. Gehlot, respectively — have weakened the authority of the family. Being a neutral arbiter (मध्यस्थ, विवाचक) is the right thing to do, and apart from that, self preservation demands that Mr. Gandhi enables popular leaders to emerge stronger in the party. Mr. Kharge or Mr. Tharoor, the truly popular should be able to to win. Mr. Gandhi will only reinforce (सुदृढ बनाना, सहारा देना) his authority by making it public that the family has no candidate.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Contest (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतियोगिता
English Meaning - An event in which people compete for supremacy in a sport, activity, or particular quality.

2.Spotlight (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - सुर्खियों, लोकप्रियता
English Meaning - The centre of public attention

3.Reins (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - लगाम, नियंत्रण
English Meaning - The act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries

4.Claim (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - दावा करना, माँग करना
English Meaning - State or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence or proof.

5.Struck (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभावित करना, टकराना
English Meaning - (of a disaster, disease, or other unwelcome phenomenon) occur suddenly and have harmful or damaging effects on.

6.Agreeable (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सहमत
English Meaning - Willing to agree to something.

7.Transition (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - संक्रमण, परिवर्तनकाल
English Meaning - Change

8.Veteran (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुभवी व्यक्ति
English Meaning - A person who has had long experience in a particular field.

9.Perception (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुभूति, दृष्टिकोण
English Meaning - The way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.

10.Tussle (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष
English Meaning - A rough physical struggle.

11.Neutrality (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - तटस्थता
English Meaning - The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; impartiality.

12.Arbiter (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - मध्यस्थ, विवाचक
English Meaning - A person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter.

13.Reinforce (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - सुदृढ बनाना, सहारा देना
English Meaning - Strengthen or support (an object or substance), especially with additional material.