New ‘Thalaiva’: Congress ‘rebrands’ Rahul Gandhi – no more ‘Jannayak’?
NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Congress on Tuesday shared an AI-generated video of Rahul Gandhi, captioned “Welcome Thalaiva (leader),” for his visit to the poll-bound state.The over two-minute clip features Gandhi walking down a path with his helicopter in the background, greeted by crowds on both sides, while a Tamil song and an English rap track play. It also shows him interacting with various sections of society. The Congress’s use of the title “Thalaiva” for its premier leader appears abrupt, given that the grand old party has projected him as “Jannayak” (mass leader) for over three years. Could this, therefore, signal an attempt by the Congress to rebrand its former national president?The ‘Jannayak’ phaseAround September 2022, the Congress began projecting Gandhi as “Jannayak” as he embarked on his pan-India Bharat Jodo Yatra, which brought him into the national spotlight. The march, spanning 12 states, began in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, and concluded in Jammu and Kashmir in January 2023.In January 2024, he led the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra — a smaller but similar march from Manipur to Mumbai — which concluded in March, just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.Both yatras played a significant role in Gandhi shedding the “Pappu” (immature) label, as he engaged extensively with common people during the marches.The relative success of the Congress and its allies in the Lok Sabha elections was widely attributed to the two yatras. Gandhi was subsequently elevated as leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, further reinforcing his “Jannayak” credentials.But the momentum soon fizzled out.Poll defeats and ‘vote chori’: Rahul Gandhi post Lok Sabha electionsAlthough buoyed by its Lok Sabha performance, the Congress suffered unexpected setbacks in subsequent assembly elections. It lost in Haryana, despite the BJP facing a decade of anti-incumbency, and while its alliance with the National Conference won in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress itself put up a weak showing. A similar pattern played out in Jharkhand, while in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti swept aside the MVA, of which the Congress is a constituent.In February 2025, the party failed to open its account in Delhi for the third consecutive assembly election. The year ended with another drubbing in Bihar, where Gandhi was once again projected as “Jannayak.”In the meantime, he clashed with the Election Commission, accusing the poll body of conspiring with the BJP to favour it in the assembly elections.‘Thalaiva’: Congress’ attempt to rebrand Rahul following post-Lok Sabha setbacks?Now, as the country heads into its next set of assembly elections in four states, including Tamil Nadu, and the Union territory of Puducherry, the Congress has begun calling Gandhi “Thalaiva.” Although the party’s Tamil Nadu unit may have used the title as the Raebareli MP was visiting the state, this could also be an attempt to move away from the “Jannayak” image, which has brought the party more setbacks than successes.Gandhi also has another connection with Tamil Nadu: his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated here in 1991 by Sri Lanka’s LTTE rebels.Projecting him as a leader could also be a subtle message to its ally, the MK Stalin-led DMK. In recent days, the Congress has reportedly been courting Tamil superstar Vijay’s fledgling outfit, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for an alliance in the Tamil Nadu assembly polls.Whether the rebranding is deliberate or not, only time will tell. As for whether it will resonate with voters, the answer may emerge in the not-so-distant future. Go to Source