• What are the thoughts behind Priyanka Vadra’s entering active politics through Wayanad bye-poll? Why BJP needs to make a woman as President and what should her profile be? Article looks ahead. 

The Congress party is extremely upbeat after the Lok Sabha results of 2024. A key reason was it managed to win 99 seats including Rae Bareilly and Amethi. The party hopes to do well hereafter.

With the decision of Rahul giving up his Wayanad seat in favour of sister Priyanka Vadra, a few things become apparent as this point namely - 

One, the Congress will continue to be dependent on the Gandhi family.

Two, the brother sister duo will in future work in tandem as they did in the 2024 poll.

Three, it appears that Priyanka will take larger responsibility with time and perhaps full responsibility for the party sooner than later.

Four, Priyanka will reach out to the women voter.

Two reasons for BJP success was Hindu consolidation and women votes. The first was broken through caste politics of the type we saw in 2024. The women voter shall be wooed by Priyanka. Read   Congress strategy is to divide Hindus by caste

Notwithstanding Congress’s poor record on delivery, as a new face and woman, Priyanka may be able to swing the women vote. 

Five, Priyanka is a much better communicator and her similarity with the late Mrs Indira Gandhi shall always be a plus point.

Six, Priyanka no longer suffers from the baggage of husband Robert Vadra because Modi1/2 have failed to take appropriate action against Mr Vadra for alleged wrong doings. Enforcement Directorate raids, unless followed by conviction, have temporary impact.

Using surname Gandhi  

Priyanka’s twitter handle on 19.6.24 at 12.20 pm was @priyankagandhi with name Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She is going to milk the Gandhi surname like others before her. The BJP has in ten years, failed to let Indians know her true name. If done now, it shall enhance Priyanka’s appeal. Rhetoric has its limitations.

Priyanka might position herself as an example of India’s famed but misunderstood diversity. Father Parsi, Paternal Grandfather Parsi, Mother Christian, Paternal Grandmother Kashmiri Hindu, Husband Christian. Times of India on Feroze Ghandy

Read  Why Gandhi made Nehru not Sardar Patel Prime Minister   

She will continue to visit temples like her brother and make people believe she is a Hindu when by the rules of patriarchy she is a Parsi, may be Christian post marriage. Anyway in today’s secular India that does not matter. The BJP and sections of the media revere the Gandhi’s too much to share the truth. The West and China might be more comfortable dealing with the Gandhi parivar than  home grown nationalist leaders of the BJP.

Between the brother sister duo they will appeal to the male and female voter. Rahul is aggressive, as we saw, and Priyanka the lady who uses reason to appeal to voters. So far they made a good combination. Public expression of love between brother and sister goes well with emotional Bharatiyas. Moreover, note that 49% of the Indian voters are women.

Read  Women voters might exceed male voters by 2029

The Congress realizes that its best chance to regain power at the Centre is when BJP is in transition from Modi to successor. That would be the time to aggressively target the female voter.

Why a woman President?

Notwithstanding the BJP designing programs that empower Indian women (for e.g. toilets, homes, gas, Lakhpati Didi, Triple Talaq), they will need a woman President to more effectively connect with the women voter. A woman shall be better able to take on State level woman leaders and cannot be heckled easily. A woman leader can also better empathise with challenges faced by women voters. President Murmu is an example of resilience who overcame life challenges to become President.  

What should the profile of the BJP Woman President be?

The lady needs to be younger, say 40-50’s, and not from Gujarat. Not because Gujaratis are incompetent, but because in any team it is good to have members from different parts of the country. 

She must come from a non-elitist, non-privileged background and be Bharatiya in thought.

A 40-50’s age lady might also be better at gauging the aspirations of India’s youth esp. women and aware of changes in the environment. 

The lady needs to be mature, have the ability to carry people along and not make men in the party uncomfortable.

If she is from south of the Vindhyas and Hindi speaking, that would be a bonus. 

It is for the BJP to find such a woman leader. Perhaps, it can look to the RSS.

To read all articles on Indian Women

Brave Maratha Queens

 Himachali Women at Manali, 2016.

Rani Abakka, the forgotten Queen of Coastal Karnataka, who defeated the Portuguese at sea.

Women of Bharat.

Also read

1. The Incredible Women of Bharat

2. Kerala’s Outstanding Women

3. Life of Tarabai, Maratha Queen