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| Rahul Gandhi, Facing Tough Premier Race, Skips Formal Party Nomination | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| NEW DELHI — At a major gathering of the Indian National Congress on Friday, Sonia Gandhi announced that her son Rahul would not be nominated for the post of prime minister in upcoming elections, signaling the outcome of deliberations within the party that has dominated this country’s politics for decades. | NEW DELHI — At a major gathering of the Indian National Congress on Friday, Sonia Gandhi announced that her son Rahul would not be nominated for the post of prime minister in upcoming elections, signaling the outcome of deliberations within the party that has dominated this country’s politics for decades. |
| “We took a decision on Rahul yesterday, and the decision is final,” she said. | “We took a decision on Rahul yesterday, and the decision is final,” she said. |
| Mr. Gandhi will lead the upcoming campaign and remains the party’s vice president. Analysts described the move as a tactical decision, aimed to insulate Mr. Gandhi from a potentially punishing campaign. | Mr. Gandhi will lead the upcoming campaign and remains the party’s vice president. Analysts described the move as a tactical decision, aimed to insulate Mr. Gandhi from a potentially punishing campaign. |
| The announcement provoked chants of “Rahul PM” from party loyalists that were so sustained that Mr. Gandhi, the party’s vice president, finally took the podium himself and held his hands in the air, telling the audience to remain calm and promising to share “what is in my heart” in an address later in the day. | The announcement provoked chants of “Rahul PM” from party loyalists that were so sustained that Mr. Gandhi, the party’s vice president, finally took the podium himself and held his hands in the air, telling the audience to remain calm and promising to share “what is in my heart” in an address later in the day. |
| When the current prime minister, Manmohan Singh, mentioned Mr. Gandhi in his own remarks, the chants of “Rahul” resumed. | When the current prime minister, Manmohan Singh, mentioned Mr. Gandhi in his own remarks, the chants of “Rahul” resumed. |
| Damaged by a series of corruption scandals and a flagging economy, Congress looks unlikely to retain control of the next Parliament, especially after deep losses in four state assembly elections held in December. | Damaged by a series of corruption scandals and a flagging economy, Congress looks unlikely to retain control of the next Parliament, especially after deep losses in four state assembly elections held in December. |
| In her remarks, Mrs. Gandhi warned that victory by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party risked dividing the country along religious lines. | In her remarks, Mrs. Gandhi warned that victory by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party risked dividing the country along religious lines. |
| “These elections will be a battle for India as it was conceived by our founding fathers,” she said. “It will be a battle for the preservation of our age-old secular traditions, traditions of diverse communities living harmoniously in one composite national identity.” | “These elections will be a battle for India as it was conceived by our founding fathers,” she said. “It will be a battle for the preservation of our age-old secular traditions, traditions of diverse communities living harmoniously in one composite national identity.” |
| Mr. Gandhi’s role in the contest has remained stubbornly unclear for months, even as Narendra Modi, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has buffed and fine-tuned his image as a take-charge candidate. Mr. Modi has seemed eager to highlight the contrast between the two men, casting himself as a self-made man, the son of a tea stall owner, and Mr. Gandhi as a cosseted “shehjada,” or prince. | Mr. Gandhi’s role in the contest has remained stubbornly unclear for months, even as Narendra Modi, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has buffed and fine-tuned his image as a take-charge candidate. Mr. Modi has seemed eager to highlight the contrast between the two men, casting himself as a self-made man, the son of a tea stall owner, and Mr. Gandhi as a cosseted “shehjada,” or prince. |
| Not naming Mr. Gandhi the prime ministerial candidate means sacrificing some of his star power in a country that reserves reverence for his father, grandmother and great-grandfather, who all served as prime minister. But Mr. Gandhi has not proven an especially charismatic presence at campaign events, and at times has projected reluctance about his role in government, rarely speaking at parliamentary sessions or expressing a stance in national debates. | Not naming Mr. Gandhi the prime ministerial candidate means sacrificing some of his star power in a country that reserves reverence for his father, grandmother and great-grandfather, who all served as prime minister. But Mr. Gandhi has not proven an especially charismatic presence at campaign events, and at times has projected reluctance about his role in government, rarely speaking at parliamentary sessions or expressing a stance in national debates. |
| Taking a back seat ahead of general elections could allow Mr. Gandhi to escape damage as a potential candidate if Congress performs badly. Mr. Gandhi has shown intense interest in reorganizing Congress’s party structure, including introducing internal competition for positions within the party’s youth wing, and insiders say he may hope to immerse himself in that work after the May elections. | Taking a back seat ahead of general elections could allow Mr. Gandhi to escape damage as a potential candidate if Congress performs badly. Mr. Gandhi has shown intense interest in reorganizing Congress’s party structure, including introducing internal competition for positions within the party’s youth wing, and insiders say he may hope to immerse himself in that work after the May elections. |
| In an interview published on Tuesday in a Hindi newspaper, Mr. Gandhi sidestepped a series of questions about whether he wanted to be the prime ministerial candidate. | In an interview published on Tuesday in a Hindi newspaper, Mr. Gandhi sidestepped a series of questions about whether he wanted to be the prime ministerial candidate. |
| “I will follow whatever orders the party asks me to follow,” he said. “I am only concerned about why the entire argument comes to standstill over the issue of a ‘post.’ Why is it being debated on a national level? Why don’t people debate about steps to clean politics?” | “I will follow whatever orders the party asks me to follow,” he said. “I am only concerned about why the entire argument comes to standstill over the issue of a ‘post.’ Why is it being debated on a national level? Why don’t people debate about steps to clean politics?” |
| Siddharth Varadarajan, a prominent journalist, called the decision not to nominate Mr. Gandhi “an insurance policy, an exit strategy, a safety valve.” He said Congress leaders are already braced for deep losses in the May election, but may see an opportunity to bounce back in several years, hoping that the newly formed government may prove fragile. | Siddharth Varadarajan, a prominent journalist, called the decision not to nominate Mr. Gandhi “an insurance policy, an exit strategy, a safety valve.” He said Congress leaders are already braced for deep losses in the May election, but may see an opportunity to bounce back in several years, hoping that the newly formed government may prove fragile. |
| He said it was far too early to talk about the end of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, noting that Rahul’s sister, Priyanka, is seen as a talented politician. He added that the family would be wise to gradually untether itself from the party. | He said it was far too early to talk about the end of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, noting that Rahul’s sister, Priyanka, is seen as a talented politician. He added that the family would be wise to gradually untether itself from the party. |
| “The way to do it would be to say, ‘we recuse ourselves, and we will keep a distant watch,’ ” he said. “If they had the best future of the Congress Party in their mind, they would realize that the dynasty has to end, and it has to end in an orderly fashion. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” | “The way to do it would be to say, ‘we recuse ourselves, and we will keep a distant watch,’ ” he said. “If they had the best future of the Congress Party in their mind, they would realize that the dynasty has to end, and it has to end in an orderly fashion. I don’t think it’s going to happen.” |