Lokpal Bill: Is Rahul learning from AAP’s style of politics?

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s sudden love for the Lokpal Bill seems to be an outcome of party’s defeat in the recent Assembly elections and the pressure created by social activist Anna Hazare and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Rahul, who in the past has been reluctant to speak on important issues, tried to give a big political push for the passage of the Lokpal Bill on Saturday. However, the Congress vice president rejected suggestions that the government was pushing the legislation because of AAP`s electoral success in Delhi Assembly polls and activist Anna Hazare going on a fast on the issue. Whatever may Rahul say, but his push for the ombudsman bill is certainly aimed towards grabbing the lost political space. The Congress, which has been hit by issues such as 2G spectrum scam, Coal blocks allocation scam, rising prices and slow economy desperately needs a revamp. Read: Kejriwal, Anna on collision course over Lokpal Bill? The rising popularity of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the debutant political outfit, AAP’s outstanding performance in the recent Delhi polls have shaken the Congress from the core. This is evident with the Gandhi scion himself coming out flanked by senior Congress leaders and addressing a press conference on the issue of Lokpal Bill. What was more astonishing was that Rahul even replied to few questions from reporters. Gandhi said the Lokpal Bill was a matter of "national importance" and "will completely transform the issue of corruption." "We`ve been working full time on the bill, which is stronger than before. This is not to do with AAP. It is to do with corruption," he said. To a question on the Samajwadi Party opposing the bill, the Congress leader said the party was committed to pass the bill and "now everyone should pass." He said the single biggest step that the Congress had taken against corruption was the Right to Information Act. "The argument that we are doing the Lokpal bill because of elections is unfair" "Our job is to give a powerful Lokpal bill, what we need is one percent movement from political parties, and I am pretty confident that if we work together we can deliver," he said. Rahul, who has always shied away from the media, recently has been quite vocal about putting forth his views on important issues like homosexuality, Lokpal Bill and the SC order on barring convicted elected representatives from contesting polls. The Congress vice president seems to be “learning” from the AAP’s style of politics, i.e. the more you interact with the masses, the more you reap political benefits.