For instance, there is unease in the Congress over government’s strategy in dealing with the Anna movement. Congressmen have reasons to feel despondent and worried. Every passing day confirms that those at the helm of affairs were unable to handle the crisis in the absence of their leader. The party MPs are unable to understand the inordinate delay in responding to the upsurge of the public support for Anna. They are bewildered at the slow response form Prime Minister even to write a letter to Anna who is fasting for more than a week in the Ramlila maidan or dealing with it politically by mobilizing support from political parties on the Janlokpal issue.

Most Congress MPs, particularly the younger lot, feel that had Sonia Gandhi been here things would not have reached this level. The SMS doing the rounds speaks for their feelings. It likens Sonia Gandhi’s absence to that of the lady of the house in a household. The desperation has driven them to openly question whether they had to wait for their leader’s return to deal with the Anna Hazare movement. Even cabinet ministers are adopting hands off policy watching the confusion from the ringside.

During the April fast undertaken by Anna, it was Sonia Gandhi’s intervention, which ended the fast within four days after she had asked the Prime Minister to engage his team. With her left of the centre leanings and her association with a number of NGOs who were visible in her National Advisory Council, she was able to contain people like Anna within wraps and shielded her party. The 2004 slogan of the Congress “Congress ke haath aam admi ke saath” brought them to power sending a pro- poor signal.

Now with the Anna’ movement reaching its peak the younger MPs particularly from Delhi and Mumbai where the movement has larger reach, have begun to criticize the government for its inept handling. Younger MPs like Sandip Dixit, Priya Dutt and Sanjay Nirupam have even expressed their reservations about the government Lokpal bill. The call given by the Anna team to put pressure on the MPs has given them jitters, as they do not want to deal with the angry crowds that may land up at their doorsteps. Perhaps it is because of this that some Congress MPs like Aaron have gone to the extent of sending the Janlokpal bill to the standing committee.

There is all round criticism about the handling of the situation by the ministers engaging the team Anna. For instance, a senior minister like Pranab Mukherjee could have been roped in right from the beginning instead of allowing Kapil Sibal and Chidambaram to handle.

Rahul Gandhi is refusing to lead from the front — he has not uttered a word on Anna’s agitation although reports come that he had met the Prime Minister thrice. The party is at a loss to know the mind of the leader. Perhaps he is diffident and does not want to put himself forward but the core committee, which Sonia Gandhi had appointed to deal with the problems from the party side, also has not come out with any viable solution.

When Rahul Gandhi came back, the party thought that he would take the place of his mother and lead in resolving problems. But as the days go by, it is now clear that he has left it to the Prime Minister and the government to deal with the crisis. To be fair to his advisers perhaps they think that this is not the moment for him to take lead as the situation has become so messy that whatever he does would not get him kudos.

So that leaves it to the Prime Minister to take the sole responsibility to engage with the Annas and Aruna Roys. Till now, Sonia Gandhi was dealing with the political parties while he dealt only with the government side. Now that the whole thing has fallen on his shoulders, he should show his mettle by seizing the moment. There had been times when PM’s camp felt that he was not being allowed a free hand but now he has the chance to show. If only he could muster courage and take bold decisions, the party would also look at him with admiration.

The first thing is to restore the credibility of the government as well as his own. Going by the way the image has fallen to such low, it is going to take a long time but he should start restoring the credibility immediately. The second thing is to provide an alternate agenda so as to divert the attention of country from Anna. The third is showing some action that he means business in dealing with corruption.

The time for action is now and there is no time for even a moment’s delay. The proof of the pudding is in the eating and it is for the prime minister to provide that proof. (IPA Service)