Rahul May Join Politics Before Priyanka

26 Nov 2002
Rajesh Ramachandran
The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Congress party sources say that Rahul Gandhi might join politics by taking up an official position in the party organisation sooner that his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The timing of the launch of his career is apparently yet to be decided.

Congress sources said Rahul might accompany his mother during the Gujarat assembly election campaign in the first week of December. The line of succession in the Gandhi dynasty had become a hot topic of discussion within the party ever since media reports suggested that Rahul would join the party on November 14.

Sonia Gandhi, when asked about these news reports during the recent Mount Abu Congress chief ministers' conclave, did not deny them. She merely said that it was for her children to take a decision on whether to join politics or not.

Soon thereafter, Priyanka made a high profile visit to Amethi after a long gap of public appearances. This fuelled speculation about `sibling rivalry' at 10 Janpath, with lobbyists claiming proximity to the son and daughter spreading conflicting stories of the primacy of one sibling over the other.

"There is no question of sibling rivarly in the Gandhi family. Sonia Gandhi is the party president and there is no reason for her children to take over from her in the near future. Rahul would join politics sooner than Priyanka because she has to take care of her small child. She had taken the child along with her to Amethi, but may not be able to do that during an election campaign,'' said a senior AICC functionary.

Rahul is expected to set up a software production and export business as well. In fact, this was cited as a reason why Rahul would not join politics before the business has taken shape. But Congress leaders pointed out that the software business is only his way of winning financial independence and would not come in the way of his political career.

According to Congress insiders, both the son and the daughter would join the party and remain part of the leadership till they gain some experience in politics and administration. "The question of succession is far off,'' said a senior Congress leader.