The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Sonia's re-election

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Sonia's re-election

Sonia Gandhi's unopposed re-election as Congress president shows that democracy is on the decline in India's major political party. Democracy thrives on opposition and criticism. Even if Ms. Gandhi's election was a foregone conclusion, her candidature should not have gone unopposed. Some leader, rising above sycophancy, should have shown the courage to oppose her at least to make it evident that her power is not absolute.

Ashish Kumar,
Ranchi

* * *

The re-election of Ms. Gandhi is not reflective of a healthy trend. Senior Congress leaders should have at least raised their little finger in sponsoring a change. Such blind following does not augur well for the future of the party. Ms. Gandhi's status would have gone up had she opted out of the race and sponsored someone else for the post. By remaining just the UPA Chairperson, she would have upheld the one-person-one-post principle and given a new thrust to the party.

Seethalakshmi Nagarajan,
Chennai

* * *

Congratulations to Ms. Gandhi on her re-election. She emerged the undisputed leader of the Congress after single-handedly leading it to victory in the 2004 elections. Her turning down the Prime Minister's post further enhanced her image.

John Deepak,
Thrissur, Kerala

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