Click to play videoNew Delhi: Rahul Gandhi is in many ways similar to his father Rajiv Gandhi. They shared a similar appeal among the youth and faced criticism for being politically naive. But they were also different in very important ways.
On May 25, 1991 as Rajiv Gandhi was laid to rest, India got to see, after a long time, a new Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi was then only 21, still learning about the perils that came with bearing the famous last name.
Almost 18 years later, the boy, now a man, has helped script a historic victory for his party. In his energy, his spirit, and his youthful brand of politics, Rahul Gandhi is what Rajiv Gandhi once was. For both father and son joining politics was their own personal discovery of India.
As General Secretary, Rajiv Gandhi was keen to keep distance between him and the government, and between him and his mother. In many ways, Rahul Gandhi also keeps this distance.
Where Rajiv and Rahul Gandhi differ is how they entered politics. It was only after Sanjay Gandhi's death in 1980 that Rajiv Gandhi became a Congressman; in less than four years, he was Prime Minister. For Rahul Gandhi, the trust shared between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi has given him time to forge his own path and make a far smoother transition.
In the 1980s, Rajiv Gandhi, like his son after him, also began by working within the party organisation, building his own core team. Rajiv's prime concern as prime minister was modernising the Indian State. Rahul Gandhi's focus is on inclusive growth for all.
They both had different goals, but both were responses to the problems of their time.
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