New Delhi, February 11 : Much has been written about — some in jest, some only just so — about Sonia Gandhi and sainthood since the day she declined the crown in 2004, but she had never referred in public to the unsolicited political canonisation.
Today, almost six years later, she made an indirect but pointed statement cloaked in ethereal analogy. “Rajniti mein sant bane rehna sabse mushkil kaam hai. (To remain a saint in politics is the most difficult task),” Sonia said to thunderous applause from the audience at a book release event.
The rapier thrust, delivered with a smile that reflected the ease with which Sonia has come to handle thorny issues since she stepped out of a cocoon in 10 Janpath and strode to the pinnacle of power, was neither out of place nor off the cuff.
The title of the book — Rajniti ke sant (Saint in politics), on the political persona of the late Shyama Charan Shukla, the former MP and chief minister of Madhya Pradesh — lent itself to topics that can be dealt with from the pulpit. Her seemingly jovial comment came at a time internal power games had again delayed a long-overdue Congress shuffle.
With some Congress general secretaries looking on, Sonia said politicians would have to avoid “arrogance” if they had to win people’s respect.
Sonia chided party leaders for hankering after posts and positions and urged them to remain modest in success.
“Post milte hi ahankaar se bhar jaate hain. Par unhe samajhna chahiye janta ka samman aur sneh unhe milta hai jo vinamrata ke saath kaam karte hain. (They get filled with arrogance after getting posts. But they should understand that those who get people’s respect and affection are the ones who work with modesty),” she said.
Her powerful general secretaries, Digvijay Singh, Janardan Dwivedi and Mohsina Kidwai, party treasurer Motilal Vora and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who were on the dais, looked askance as she spoke.
Sources said Sonia was unhappy with the ever-swelling crowd of position-seekers in the party while her son Rahul was toiling to strengthen the organisation across the country.
While some younger leaders were helping Rahul in his mission, most senior leaders who hold important posts in the party owe their position to their clout in the command structure. Many have never contested elections and have remained afloat through Rajya Sabha nominations.
A shuffle was due after the government was formed last year but has been delayed despite several attempts by Sonia to reconstitute her team.
Some party leaders interpreted Sonia’s comments as a message to those who were in government. But the Congress chief also asked party workers to take inspiration from Shukla’s principles and be ready to work without posts.
“The best tribute to Shyama Charanji will be to work hard and regain the party’s glory in Madhya Pradesh,” she said.
Madhya Pradesh has many Congress stalwarts but sources said ego clashes were to a great extent responsible for the party’s defeat in successive elections.
State unit chief Suresh Pachauri, now lobbying hard to come back to Delhi after losing the Assembly election, was among the audience.
Sonia also made a subtle point on political opportunism, though there was no mention of ally Sharad Pawar’s decision to meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray earlier this week.
Dwelling on Shukla’s character, Sonia said: “It was difficult to agree with him all the time. But his commitment to his beliefs and ideology requires to be appreciated. He stuck to his ideological beliefs and never made any compromise that will bring bad name to the Congress party’s image.”