Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has turned 55, whose political journey started from Amethi in 2004. He raised the issues of social justice through 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' and tried to strengthen the party.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turns 55 today. Rahul is currently the leading face of the country’s oldest political party, the Indian National Congress. Born on 19 June 1970 as a descendant of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi started his political journey with the Indian National Congress (Congress) in 2004. His journey has been full of ups and downs. In this, he has tried to strengthen the party and raise public issues.
Political journey started from Amethi in 2004
Rahul Gandhi’s political career began in 2004, when he contested and won the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The seat had been a family stronghold for his father Rajiv Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi. In his early innings, he focused on youth and rural development.
He was appointed as the general secretary of the Congress in 2007 and as the party’s vice-president in 2013. In 2017, he took over as the party president, which was the peak of his political ambition. His ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ (2022-23) and ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ (2024) highlighted the issues of unity and social justice in the country.
Focused on Youth Congress
Rahul Gandhi’s biggest achievement has been his people-centric initiatives. The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ covered a distance of about 4,000 kilometers across the country and spread the message of love against hate. The journey helped strengthen the Congress organizationally. This also affected the party’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He brought about reforms in the Youth Congress and the National Student Union (NSUI) and significantly increased the membership of these organizations. His firmness on issues such as the withdrawal of agricultural laws (2021) and reduction in GST rates played a role in strengthening the opposition. Apart from this, he brought issues like unemployment, farmers’ problems and social justice to the national debate.
Lost MP seat due to conviction in defamation case
However, Rahul Gandhi’s journey was not untouched by challenges. Congress’s defeat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections raised questions about his leadership ability. The defeat at the hands of Smriti Irani from Amethi in 2019 was seen as his personal defeat. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party was reduced to just 52 seats. After this, he resigned from the post of president, taking moral responsibility. His ‘Pappu’-like image and allegations of dynasty politics affected his popularity. Media and BJP criticism constantly targeted him. There was a lot of controversy especially on his statement like ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’.
In 2023, his biggest political challenge was his two-year sentence in a defamation case and disqualification from the Lok Sabha. However, the Supreme Court put a stay on it. Despite all this, his educational background (studied at Harvard and Cambridge) and efforts to connect with the public gave him a chance to stand up again.
The challenge of getting Congress back its lost ground
Rahul Gandhi is again in an active role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He is trying to revive the Congress. He is a prominent face of the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’ block. Although critics consider him an indecisive, indecisive and weak leader, for his supporters he is the hope to protect democracy. Rahul has tried to improve his image and connect with the public amid criticism.
The challenges before Rahul Gandhi have been testing his leadership ability and image. Now it remains to be seen how strongly he emerges in Indian politics going forward. Will he be able to get Congress back its lost political ground. In future, their strategy and the role of the opposition will decide the direction of the country’s politics.
Edited by: Anil Kumar
About the author
Anil Kumar
Anil has been active in the media industry for more than a decade. His journey started with reporting from Dainik Jagran Chandigarh in 2009 and has reached NavbharatTimes.com via Dainik Bhaskar, Rajasthan Patrika, Amar Ujala, Jansatta.com. He is originally from Bihar but has studied in Delhi.
Courtesy: Hindi News