Rahul Gandhi the Opposition leader of India is no longer the reluctant politician as he was made out to be for years and years.
Highly placed sources in the Congress aver that Rahul now sees himself as ready to occupy the highest post in the land, but more than that he is now keen and eager to become the Prime Minister of India.
This change has come about after he became the Leader of the Opposition and experienced the trappings of power which come with the post. Along with this the power, position and prestige which surrounds Narendra Modi has also been a big influence on him.
Rahul Gandhi’s birthday celebration was an eye opener for many in the party and the buzz has now grown stronger in the Congress that Rahul is now ready to take on the mantle of the Prime Minister. This time it was a complete departure from the past. And this raised eyebrows all around. Rahul Gandhi and his birthday have always been a very private affair. He has always been out of the country on 19th June unwilling to mix with Congressmen and the hordes who descend to wish the leader a long.
On the night before his birthday he returned to Delhi.
It was certainly not because of mother Sonia’s health, she was discharged from the hospital in the morning with Rahul going there to go and bring her home.
Uncharacteristically he visited the AICC office at 24 Akbar Road and a message was sent out that he would be arriving there at 2 pm. He met the Congress leaders and workers who had assembled to meet and greet him and give him bouquets etc.
It’s a far cry from the Rahul of 2004 who was completely out of sync from the real world of politics and all that it entailed. This acceptance of politics has been a long time in coming but it now looks as though he wants to carry the family legacy forward which mother Sonia has been waiting for a long time.
Full page advertisements were issued in main line newspapers on his birthday which is an indication to indicate to the nation that he has finally arrived on the national scene with a serious note.
Rahul has now for long been talking about the unemployed and how the government under Narendra Modi is doing nothing in that direction. A rozgar mela was organised, companies were invited and over 3000 youth were given appointment letters on the spot.
“Make in India” promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled?
Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions. Since 2014, manufacturing has fallen to 14% of our… pic.twitter.com/HsL9PBUYpx
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 21, 2025
The message was clear: if as opposition leader he can do so much it is understood how much he can do for the youth and the unemployed as the prime minister of the country. Rahul is also continuing to push his caste census agenda which the government has now agreed to and this has come as a big boost for his leadership.
Rahul Gandhi has now set up a committee of basically OBC and Dalit leaders under the chairmanship of Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah which will further push this agenda.
Interestingly both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are members of this committee.
Sources in the Congress disclose that Rahul’s perception is that the ground is slipping from under the feet of Prime Minister Modi.
There are major problems within the BJP and with the Sangh Parivar. The USA and Donald Trumph are no longer supportive of Narendra Modi.
And that there is a very real chance of winning back Bihar from the NDA primarily because Nitish kumar is the weak link and the defeat may happen because of him.
Sources go to the extent of saying that Rahul Gandhi is now in a hurry to become the Prime Minister and he is convinced that his backward, Dalit, and Minority agenda will reap him rich dividends in the days ahead.
अंग्रेज़ी बाँध नहीं, पुल है।
अंग्रेज़ी शर्म नहीं, शक्ति है।
अंग्रेज़ी ज़ंजीर नहीं – ज़ंजीरें तोड़ने का औज़ार है।BJP-RSS नहीं चाहते कि भारत का ग़रीब बच्चा अंग्रेज़ी सीखे – क्योंकि वो नहीं चाहते कि आप सवाल पूछें, आगे बढ़ें, बराबरी करें।
आज की दुनिया में, अंग्रेज़ी उतनी ही ज़रूरी… pic.twitter.com/VUjinqD91s
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 20, 2025
It’s a far cry from the Rahul of 2004 who was completely out of sync from the real world of politics and all that it entailed. This acceptance of politics has been a long time in coming but it now looks as though he wants to carry the family legacy forward which mother Sonia has been waiting for a long time.
At the end of the day the question is wide open on whether the congress returns to power and whether Rahul gets the top job. That is in the realm of the future. So far the prevalent perception has been that even if the congress comes to power Rahul Gandhi will take a back seat and pass on the prime ministerial mantle to someone else. That scenario has now changed. A large number of ifs and buts but the reluctant leader who just turned 55 is now ready!!
Renu Mittal
Renu Mittal is a veteran Journalist of India. She is reporting on the Congress Party affairs since 1983.
