Do political columnists, even diligent ones, have short memories? Rahul Gandhi and the Congress used the word "guarantee" multiple times during the Karnataka assembly election, which came before the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh assembly elections during which Modi started using the term "Modi ki guarantee" and continues to do so to this day.

The fact is, many political columnists are also fifth columnists. This one, with no doubt an axe to grind, watched the Congress manifesto release telecast from “start to finish” and found it “dismal watching” – the “leaders of our oldest political party looked defeated and frail”.

That is an exaggeration. The “frail” does not apply to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who outweighs most politicians currently operating. And what about Rahul Gandhi’s biceps? Even Sonia Gandhi is far from "frail”. Also, the use of “defeated” smacks of personal vendetta; it is conjecture, and a guess. Political columnists should wait for June 4.

The Congress ‘Nyay Patra’ has made the people sit up. There is “hard language” and also a message for the “stinking rich”; for Modi and Ambani and Adani. Also, while catering to its special votebanks, the Congress manifesto does not beat around the bush. There is ‘Nyay’ in it for everybody. Even the promise of retributive ‘Nyay’ for certain key demographics.

So, whose guarantees rattled who? It would serve purpose if time is assigned to discussing this aspect of the political discourse. Only then can an outcome be arrived at. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees are up against Rahul Gandhi’s guarantees and political analysts are fighting over who “borrowed from whom?” Modi’s only modification is he refers to his guarantees as “Modi ki guarantee”.

But Modi’s supporters and Rahul’s detractors say Rahul Gandhi took them “directly from Narendra Modi’s recent election rallies”. Is there a move to prevent the Congress from giving out “guarantees”; especially, by Rahul Gandhi? Congress leaders are using “guarantees” too many times for the BJP’s liking is the viewpoint of some. The diligent political columnist writes “it would have been wise to at least not use this word.” It would have been very convenient for the BJP.

It is being argued that it would be so much better if people stopped asking what the difference was between Congress guarantees and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantees? People should instead focus on why Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had to ask “in a sad voice if people had forgotten how to clap?” when the ‘Nyay Patra’ was being explained?

The charge is, the Congress manifesto is a regurgitation of the Prime Minister’s guarantees. More to the point, the leftist slant in the manifesto has got the anti-Congress goat. Diligent political columnists are questioning Congress leaders for using “saving democracy” and “stopping attacks on the Indian Constitution” to put down the BJP. Certain sections have taken umbrage of the Modi government described as an “elected autocracy”.

Rahul Gandhi should “stop overuse” of such talk as that would tantamount to following in the footsteps of the “Left”. Roughly translated, the leftward swing of the Congress has left rightwing-leaning political columnists worried. The combined gut feeling is “the Congress worldview has moved radically to the left and both “Marxists and Congress” are talking of “reversing privatization” and slapping higher and higher taxes on the rich.

Guaranteeing Rs 1 lakh per annum apprenticeships to the “unemployed and educated young” is another Congress guarantee which supporters of the ruling regime don’t cotton to. “Where will the money come from for this annual gift?” they are asking. “And will there be money left for building airports, roads, hospitals and universities?”

The Congress shouldn’t be talking of “guarantees” when it should be doing its best to be a strong opposition party. Let Modi keep his “guarantees”, the Congress shouldn’t hold out guarantees, not if it wants to be a strong opposition party and, at this point in time, the lament of the rightwing is, the Congress is anything but a strong opposition party. The gist is, the Congress is not up to grade to dethrone the Bharatiya Janata Party, when all it can think of is giving handouts to “alleviating poverty”. For diligent political columnists, the Congress manifesto, the ‘Nyay Patra’ is 48 pages filled with “Modi ki guarantees”.

And this comes when political tactics strategist Prashant Kishor is muddying the waters for Rahul Gandhi, asking the Congress leader, most likely to become Prime Minister if the opposition INDI-Alliance defeats the NDA, to make a promise to step back if the Congress does not get the results favouring it to lead the alliance in the Lok Sabha polls. Rahul Gandhi is blocking the road for the more qualified to steer the Congress says this highly overrated political pundit. It is "undemocratic". (IPA Service)