What next for Rahul Gandhi and his electoral career?

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, April 20

A court in Surat today rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s application for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark.

A stay on conviction by the Sessions Court could have paved the way for his reinstatement as the Member of Parliament.

Gandhi ,who represented Wayanad in the Lok Sabha, was disqualified a day after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in the case filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi under Sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the IPC.

The Sessions Court will continue the hearing on his main plea against the order, according to the reports.

The Congress, meanwhile, said it will continue to avail all options available under the law.

What it means for Rahul Gandhi

The disqualification means Rahul could remain out of the electoral politics for some time. According to the law, a lawmaker remains disqualified for six years after the sentence is completed. In other words, Rahul will be ineligible to contest in the 2024 general elections if he is unable to get the conviction revoked by higher courts.

Given that around a year is left for the next general elections, it also remains to be seen if the Election Commission will order fresh elections in Wayanad.

Gandhi has been disqualified under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, according to which a lawmaker sentenced to not less than two years will be disqualified.

As per the law,a person convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years will also continue to remain disqualified for another period of six years after the release.

Blow or blessing

It will be interesting to see how the Congress uses the developments in Karnataka and other Assembly elections due this year.

The BJP has hailed the Surat court’s decision calling it a “victory” of the judiciary and the people.BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra called the court’s decision “a slap on the arrogance of the Gandhi family, especially Rahul Gandhi.” It also proves that law is equal for everyone, he added.

Key assembly elections are due this year, which will also set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Apart from Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are also due for polls this year. Both the states have Congress governments. Madhya Pradesh elections are also due this year.

Conviction and India’s caste cauldron

BJP leaders are also expected to use his words as an “insult to the OBCs”, the largest vote block not just in Karnataka but the country, in their election rallies.

In this crucial election year, the Congress is trying to corner the ruling party on the caste census/OBC issue.

Upping the ante on the OBC issue, Rahul on Monday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the 2011-12 socio-economic and caste census data public if he really had the interest of OBCs, Dalits and tribal communities in mind.

The BJP believes it has the upper hand when it comes to the crucial vote block. Saffron leaders say its pro-OBC measures like Constitutional status to the OBC Commission, giving reservation to the community in educational institutions, etc., will help PM Modi get his third term next year.

Since his conviction by the Surat court, the saffron leaders have methodically gone after Gandhi, using his words to target him.

Some observers believe the events can be used favourably if the Congress plays its cards well.Rahul Gandhi and his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ are being hailed as efforts to “revive” the party. The Congress can also display it as a case of “political vendetta”, the argument being that thedefamation case is not as serious as offences like corruption.

This is not the first time Gandhi has courted such a controversy. He has been regularly attacking PM Modi, BJP and its ideological fountainhead—the RSS.

In 2019, Rahul use the “chowkidaar chor hai” charge to target PM Modi, which backfired badly on the Congress.

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