However, I am heartened by Sonia Gandhi's leadership now, despite my being no Congress supporter.
The lady has been vilified, as inept, corrupt, loyal to foreign masters ... Yet she has been able to blow in change, through her subtle, often behind-the-scenes ways into Indian politics.
And many Congress leaders who have been under the cloud of corruption in the past have suddenly emerged as 'clean' ones.
We don't have to search far for the answer to that one.
Congressmen have always been lackeys of the supreme leader. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi never much cared about reining in corruption, for different reasons. Congressmen quickly read the message and went on to make money merrily.
Sonia faced, in many ways, a mostly hostile senior leadership, and had to cut them to size. Also the support she got from the electorate, again for different reasons, worked to her advantage. And Congressmen have been quick to read the signals.
Suddenly corruption is not something brazenly boasted about in the party, though it thrives more healthy than ever.
Thankfully, Rahul Gandhi hasn't let a coterie build around himself; and that gives hope to India.
Yes, because the BJP, Left and the Third Front have effectively demolished themselves in the country's political landscape.
