Abhishek Banerjee vs Rahul Gandhi: Who's Ready To Lead The Opposition Forward?
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In a few months, Bihar and Bengal elections could decide who inherits the opposition's crown
Two scions, two of the most powerful leaders of their party, and two inheritors—but that's just about where the similarity ends between Abhishek Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi.
Banerjee has taken charge of the party's affairs again, especially when it comes to projecting the national perspective of the Trinamool Congress. After his Pahalgam delegation speech, Banerjee has not only carefully cultivated his image of the general secretary of the TMC but also made people sit up and take note.
Superseding Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Yusuf Pathan, Banerjee was chosen to ensure that he comes across as someone who pushes the nationalism narrative. His speech on foreign land, where he said he would continue his fight with the BJP back home but abroad he was the representative of his country, showed his unwavering support to the cause at a challenging juncture.
Back home, Banerjee did not waste time and took the lead to ask five questions of the government, including where the Pahalgam terrorists were and why they had not been nabbed yet. The party is set to make this a big issue in Parliament.
To be fair, Congress too has raised the issue earlier. Rahul Gandhi too had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government whether they had grovelled before Donald Trump to reach a ceasefire with Pakistan—as the US President claimed.
However, as Indians tackle yet another grief in the aftermath of the Air India crash, Gandhi is off on a break. Suddenly, the voice questioning the government on Pahalgam seems to have become more muted. Also, Gandhi has the image of someone who shifts from issue to issue and has been branded as a 'Shoot and Scoot' neta.
What also sets the two leaders apart is their approach to elections. Banerjee's aggression, him running the media narrative for the TMC and taking charge clearly show that he has begun work for the Bengal polls of 2026.
Gandhi, meanwhile, has visited Bihar twice, but the party is still waiting for clarity on seat-sharing talks. Bihar also has a large number of Agniveers, and given that several youth in the state belong to defence families, the Pahalgam issue can resonate in election season. Not just this, an indecisive Nitish Kumar and a government in limbo are narratives that the Congress can push already. But, for this, the LOP has to be around. Sadly, politics doesn't allow the luxury of time.
Banerjee is ensuring that no time is wasted and has begun to crack the whip. While he will always be overshadowed by his aunt Mamata Banerjee, he clearly wants to shed the 'bhaipo' tag. In the case of Rahul Gandhi, many feel that his surname overshadows him and camouflages his faults and misses.
In a few months, Bihar and Bengal could decide who will be the inheritor of the Gen X of the Opposition.
First Published:
June 17, 2025, 14:50 IST
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