During the first leg of the Budget session, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi emerged as the central figure in Parliament. He dominated proceedings — firing salvos, refusing to yield, holding one line of attack for nearly 50 minutes, countering interruptions, and sustaining a pointed critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from beginning to end.
Buoyed by his aggressive stance and ability to get under the government’s skin, Congress MPs appeared energised. They rallied behind their leader, faced suspension, staged dharnas, raised slogans and reached out to Opposition colleagues with visible camaraderie — hoping to act as a force multiplier for the party leadership.
As one senior Congress leader remarked, “If Rahul Gandhi continues this form outside Parliament, the Congress party is sorted — but unfortunately that hasn’t happened in the past. Let’s see what happens this time.”
CHAMPIONING THE ‘ANNADATA’
Rahul Gandhi set the tone for the upcoming political battle by meeting with a group of farmers on Friday. Many attendees were office-bearers of the party’s Kisan wing, yet the optics were unmistakable — positioning Gandhi as pro-farmer and critical of the Indo-US deal.
However, for optics to translate into electoral support, the Congress must move beyond symbolism and energise grassroots workers to actively mobilise.
The Leader of the Opposition has linked the Indo-US agreement to what he describes as Prime Minister Modi “buckling under pressure” from Donald Trump. Gandhi also suggested that suspended Congress MPs include images of Gautam Adani alongside Donald Trump and Narendra Modi on protest banners displayed at Makar Dwar.
BEYOND OPTICS: THE REAL CHALLENGE
The difficulty for Congress lies in converting parliamentary rhetoric into street-level mobilisation. Recent calls from Delhi for mass outreach have not produced the desired impact.
The Voter Adhikar Yatra failed to generate sustained momentum. Similarly, protests over the proposed phasing out of MGNREGA have largely remained token gestures rather than mass movements. The party’s organisational weakness at the grassroots remains its principal political hurdle.
NATIONAL SECURITY AS THE NEXT BATTLEGROUND
With assembly elections approaching in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to abandon the issues he raised in Parliament.
National security — particularly references to former Army Chief General Naravane’s book — is expected to become a central political weapon. Through his slogan “Jo uchit samjho wahi karo (do what you think is right)“, Gandhi seeks to challenge the Prime Minister’s “56-inch chest” image and portray him as indecisive at critical moments.
THE EPSTEIN FILES LINE OF ATTACK
The Congress also believes the Epstein files controversy, while not a mass electoral issue, has the potential to politically discomfort the government and damage its image. The party is expected to amplify this issue aggressively on social media before the second half of the Budget session and beyond.
AN ESCALATING CONFRONTATION
If Rahul Gandhi’s body language and combative style in the first half of the Budget session are any indication, he appears politically energised and intent on sustaining pressure on the Modi government.
The coming weeks will determine whether this parliamentary performance evolves into a wider political movement — or remains confined to speeches inside the House.
The real test now is not Parliament. It is the street.
– Ends
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