New Delhi:
24 hours have lapsed since Rahul Gandhi delivered an emotional speech, accepting his promotion to Vice-President of the Congress party, but the Congress is still tingling with pleasure.
Sources close to the 42-year-old say that the 40-odd minute speech, which was powered by moving accounts of his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his father Rajiv Gandhi was written entirely by the new Vice-President. "It was 100 per cent his,'' they said. "If you notice, there were several parts where he spoke extempore and all the personal anecdotes could only have been written by him.''
The Congress says that Mr Gandhi, not the most gripping orator in the past, used his speech in Jaipur yesterday to disprove critics who say he lacks the ability to strike a personal connect with his audiences.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal said, "I think it is one of the most outstanding orations that I have heard, ever since I have been in politics and since I was a young man in this country, it was outstanding from every point of view, it was emotive, thoughtful, based on reality of India, future of India, based on hope. Whoever heard him should have realized that here is man who thinks differently and who wants India to move differently.''
Mr Gandhi spoke of learning to play badminton from the men who would assassinate his grandmother and of watching his father Rajiv cry after she was shot dead. He also spoke of the many shortcomings within the political system that have left power "grossly centralized" without acknowledging or weighing upon the contribution of his own party, the country's oldest.
As vice president, Mr Gandhi is now second only to his mother in the Congress. But party insiders say he's unlikely to immediately frequent the Congress party headquarters at 24 Akbar Road, where his office remains locked and a board announcing him as "General Secretary" has not been modified.
They said because of Mr Gandhi's expansive security, "it would be disruptive if he came and sat there but he will visit."
There was also little clarity on how Mr Gandhi's workload will be recalibrated around his new designation. Party sources say there's no information yet on how his mother and Mr Gandhi will divide the responsibilities of running the party. Mr Gandhi, who has never held a government post, has already been named the head of his party's campaign committee for next year's general election. But several senior ministers are heading other committees to examine alliances, for example, and it's not yet obvious if they will report now to Mr Gandhi.
Sources say many of the changes will follow an amendment to the party's constitution, which does not have a Vice-President's position
However, more than these logistical details, what will remain a bigger challenge for Mr Gandhi is how he'll deliver on the promise to decentralize power. Critics pointed out that his father, Rajiv, had also underscored the need to cleanse the party of power brokers, an agenda that remains unfinished.
Sources close to the 42-year-old say that the 40-odd minute speech, which was powered by moving accounts of his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his father Rajiv Gandhi was written entirely by the new Vice-President. "It was 100 per cent his,'' they said. "If you notice, there were several parts where he spoke extempore and all the personal anecdotes could only have been written by him.''
The Congress says that Mr Gandhi, not the most gripping orator in the past, used his speech in Jaipur yesterday to disprove critics who say he lacks the ability to strike a personal connect with his audiences.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal said, "I think it is one of the most outstanding orations that I have heard, ever since I have been in politics and since I was a young man in this country, it was outstanding from every point of view, it was emotive, thoughtful, based on reality of India, future of India, based on hope. Whoever heard him should have realized that here is man who thinks differently and who wants India to move differently.''
Mr Gandhi spoke of learning to play badminton from the men who would assassinate his grandmother and of watching his father Rajiv cry after she was shot dead. He also spoke of the many shortcomings within the political system that have left power "grossly centralized" without acknowledging or weighing upon the contribution of his own party, the country's oldest.
As vice president, Mr Gandhi is now second only to his mother in the Congress. But party insiders say he's unlikely to immediately frequent the Congress party headquarters at 24 Akbar Road, where his office remains locked and a board announcing him as "General Secretary" has not been modified.
They said because of Mr Gandhi's expansive security, "it would be disruptive if he came and sat there but he will visit."
There was also little clarity on how Mr Gandhi's workload will be recalibrated around his new designation. Party sources say there's no information yet on how his mother and Mr Gandhi will divide the responsibilities of running the party. Mr Gandhi, who has never held a government post, has already been named the head of his party's campaign committee for next year's general election. But several senior ministers are heading other committees to examine alliances, for example, and it's not yet obvious if they will report now to Mr Gandhi.
Sources say many of the changes will follow an amendment to the party's constitution, which does not have a Vice-President's position
However, more than these logistical details, what will remain a bigger challenge for Mr Gandhi is how he'll deliver on the promise to decentralize power. Critics pointed out that his father, Rajiv, had also underscored the need to cleanse the party of power brokers, an agenda that remains unfinished.
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