Your question on the Feb 27 cover—‘What if he (Rahul) fails?’—is irrelevant. If he fails, the party will definitely find a scapegoat and move on to another debacle.

 "Of course, he will get credit if Congress does well in UP"

I think that would be deserved. WHatever one can say about the Prince, it is a fact that he has been trying to get a foothold in UP for three or four years now. And if the effort pays off, he is entitled to his day in sun.

"So, what happens if Rahul fails?"

Really, nothing."

I agree. Nothing happened after Bihar election. Nothing wil happen if Congress fails in UP. Of course, he will get credit if Congress does well in UP. Some are just born lucky.

 "The subliminal message is, if not Rahul, there’s Priyanka."

And if not Priyanka, then there is Rihaan. And if not Rihaan, there is Miraya. And if not Miraya, some puppy from the Nehru clan. 

 "So, what happens if Rahul fails?"

Really, nothing. The cover stories are based on the premise that the current elections will have national implications. That premise is totally false to begin with. Does anyone remember the 2011 elections and their implications? Or the Bihar elections? Congress lost every election in 2008 and yet managed to win in 2009. BJP won big in 2003 only to lose in 2004. 

These elections will have no bearing three months from now.

Congress is the biggest curse on India and with these italian morons, it makes me feel ashamed. A so called national party refuses to look beyond one family, even if that family is no more indian. i fail to understand with so much talent and money around, why can't we have one truly nationalist party with say 300 or 400 candidates, who have a solid name and reputation of their own, backed and funded by corporate houses and aam aadmi, get elected and throw these corrupt morons in jail en masse.

Though I havent seen much in Saba"s articles,but the assesment she has made based on results i UP and other states is quite good.

Rahul is virtually begging for votes and made UP a battle for his political legitmacy,that he has taken a huge task of reviving Congress in UP is well taken,We never had political heirs taking the tough route in Politics as heirs of political families.One is Akilesh Yadav and the other Rahul.

As a influential Congressmen he has done precious little in making MMS act against corrupt.

UP results will make or break is future in Indian politics.To me Congress will win Punjab,lose Uttarkhand and get 65 seats in UP.

Nagaraj Ji,

 You are not good at detecting sarcasm.

Comments @10D-15,

Whereas president Obama has selected and appointed so many brilliant Indians to key posts,purely on their merit,here in India we are imposing on ourselves a barely educated Priyanka and a Rahul Gandhi with suspect degrees.If Obama can find so many brilliant Indians,can we not find merited youngsters to take the lead here amongst 120 crores people,instead of clamouring for a Rahul and Priyanka only because they belong to a family?Nobody has heard of the families of Roosvelt,Churchill,or Stalin still being treated as exclusive families in their countries.We should end this family rule,instead of talking about a Rihaan.

Emperor Akbar was a mere 13 year old lad when he ascended the throne of Delhi, and, by all accounts, he is the one of the greatest, if not the greatest, ruler that India ever had. Rihaan, 11, is only 2 years away. Let's wait for him to take the gaddi, if Rahul doesn't do well. I mean, he can't be worse. Plus, the "Amul Baby" appelation may even work for him.

The BMC election results in Maharashtra confirm the worst-fears of the Congress. The SP, a non-entity in the state won 9 seats!! Obviously, these votes came from areas dominated by UP-ites and Muslims. Congress will - and should - improve its tally. But, SP may just manage to turn around the performance that Maya did 5 years ago.

The best bet for Congress is that SP does not get a solo majority. There is no way for the Congress to anoint the Prince with the UPA coalition on such shaky grounds. 

BJP's only hope will be the disgruntled upper-castes and OBC swing towards it to prevent the Muslim reservations. Whatever (and if) it gains in this election must be credited to Rahul Gandhi's over-the-top bonhomie with the Muslims. On its own, BJP is the best at demonstrating how to loose an election.

 The fact is that congress men have been consistently claumoring for priyanka gandhi to enter politics speaks volumes of the so called charishma of rahul gandhi.Had he been a worthy leader capable of delivering decisive mandates no one could have uttered a word on priyanka least of all sycophantic congress men.Rahul gandhi is a dumb chich and he is solely a media creation.Those who are created by media cant go far for they are not people with realistic persona.Scratch the surface and you will know they have more negatives than positives.I think this election will completely expose of Rahul Gandhi and trigger a larger self introspection in congress over its survival strategy and that would bring into lime light PRIYANKA GANDHI virtually sidelining rahul.Expect rahul gandhi to fade away after march 6

I would anyday prefer British to come back and rule over us,instead of an historically unconnected Italian family.It is a disgrace to see the crowds looking at the Gandhi family,the way subject Indians would look at the Viceroy families.One should clearly discern the difference between the Britishers,who were tolerant Protestants and this staunchly Catholic Italian family who have no respect for Hindu religion and culture.Rahul Gandhi goes to Benarese,the Hindu holy city and makes no reference to the poverty amongst Hindus,but talks of a big 6000 crore packet for Muslim weavers.He now grows a beard to please Muslims but even the cursory Tilak on forehead to impress Hindus is missing.The staunch Catholics they are,both Rahul and Priyanka never bow to the elderly men and women,a practice which even the Muslims follow.A victory for Congress is a huge step for conversion plans of the Vatican and it will have a long range impact on the entire country.In the best interest of this ancient country,not a single Hindu vote should go to the Congress.

I don't want priyanka to enter in to politics for her own good. I don't know why, but I see too much similarity between Mr Vadera and Mr Zardari. And I don't want same thing to happen to Priyanka that happened to Benazir.

Rahul can now reap the rewards of his parties feminist and anti-male laws in the electoral and social fields, in the form of WOMEN VOTES.

Meanwhile, the media can drum up support for his sister rather than him, which will complete the hold of the females on the electoral system.

UP Election is a test for Mr Rahul's PMship. If CONGRESS does well in the 125 seats in UP which has more than 25% MUSLIM VOTERS, Congress will try to impliment 9% reservation for MUSLIMS to get a SIMPLE MAJORITY of 273 seats in Parliament Election 2014 with MUSLIM VOTE BANK and make Mr RAHUL the PM with no pulls & pressures of TMC, DMK, NCP etc.  Congress could try a constitutional amendment defeated in Rajya Sabha- like Lok Pal BILL- to get the MUSLIM VOTE BANK without giving resrvation and turning HINDUS against Congress. 

 “If he (Rahul) hits, the credit would go to his Masterly Batting Skills, and if he misses, the blame would shift to ‘CHUCKING & DOCTORING of PITCH’ by the Incumbent Curator. In any case he would not lose his place in the team which consists of only CAPTAIN i.e. him.”

The ONLY reason that we Indians continue to look upto the Gandhi 'family' to save our country, is that we have not yet matured enough as a nation to have a worthy opposition.

Without bets this kind of exercise is not much fun.

Without bets this kind of exercise is not much fun.

The ONLY reason that we Indians continue to look upto the Gandhi 'family' to save our country, is that we have not yet matured enough as a nation to have a worthy opposition.

 “If he (Rahul) hits, the credit would go to his Masterly Batting Skills, and if he misses, the blame would shift to ‘CHUCKING & DOCTORING of PITCH’ by the Incumbent Curator. In any case he would not lose his place in the team which consists of only CAPTAIN i.e. him.”

UP Election is a test for Mr Rahul's PMship. If CONGRESS does well in the 125 seats in UP which has more than 25% MUSLIM VOTERS, Congress will try to impliment 9% reservation for MUSLIMS to get a SIMPLE MAJORITY of 273 seats in Parliament Election 2014 with MUSLIM VOTE BANK and make Mr RAHUL the PM with no pulls & pressures of TMC, DMK, NCP etc.  Congress could try a constitutional amendment defeated in Rajya Sabha- like Lok Pal BILL- to get the MUSLIM VOTE BANK without giving resrvation and turning HINDUS against Congress. 

Rahul can now reap the rewards of his parties feminist and anti-male laws in the electoral and social fields, in the form of WOMEN VOTES.

Meanwhile, the media can drum up support for his sister rather than him, which will complete the hold of the females on the electoral system.

I don't want priyanka to enter in to politics for her own good. I don't know why, but I see too much similarity between Mr Vadera and Mr Zardari. And I don't want same thing to happen to Priyanka that happened to Benazir.

I would anyday prefer British to come back and rule over us,instead of an historically unconnected Italian family.It is a disgrace to see the crowds looking at the Gandhi family,the way subject Indians would look at the Viceroy families.One should clearly discern the difference between the Britishers,who were tolerant Protestants and this staunchly Catholic Italian family who have no respect for Hindu religion and culture.Rahul Gandhi goes to Benarese,the Hindu holy city and makes no reference to the poverty amongst Hindus,but talks of a big 6000 crore packet for Muslim weavers.He now grows a beard to please Muslims but even the cursory Tilak on forehead to impress Hindus is missing.The staunch Catholics they are,both Rahul and Priyanka never bow to the elderly men and women,a practice which even the Muslims follow.A victory for Congress is a huge step for conversion plans of the Vatican and it will have a long range impact on the entire country.In the best interest of this ancient country,not a single Hindu vote should go to the Congress.

 The fact is that congress men have been consistently claumoring for priyanka gandhi to enter politics speaks volumes of the so called charishma of rahul gandhi.Had he been a worthy leader capable of delivering decisive mandates no one could have uttered a word on priyanka least of all sycophantic congress men.Rahul gandhi is a dumb chich and he is solely a media creation.Those who are created by media cant go far for they are not people with realistic persona.Scratch the surface and you will know they have more negatives than positives.I think this election will completely expose of Rahul Gandhi and trigger a larger self introspection in congress over its survival strategy and that would bring into lime light PRIYANKA GANDHI virtually sidelining rahul.Expect rahul gandhi to fade away after march 6

The BMC election results in Maharashtra confirm the worst-fears of the Congress. The SP, a non-entity in the state won 9 seats!! Obviously, these votes came from areas dominated by UP-ites and Muslims. Congress will - and should - improve its tally. But, SP may just manage to turn around the performance that Maya did 5 years ago.

The best bet for Congress is that SP does not get a solo majority. There is no way for the Congress to anoint the Prince with the UPA coalition on such shaky grounds. 

BJP's only hope will be the disgruntled upper-castes and OBC swing towards it to prevent the Muslim reservations. Whatever (and if) it gains in this election must be credited to Rahul Gandhi's over-the-top bonhomie with the Muslims. On its own, BJP is the best at demonstrating how to loose an election.

Emperor Akbar was a mere 13 year old lad when he ascended the throne of Delhi, and, by all accounts, he is the one of the greatest, if not the greatest, ruler that India ever had. Rihaan, 11, is only 2 years away. Let's wait for him to take the gaddi, if Rahul doesn't do well. I mean, he can't be worse. Plus, the "Amul Baby" appelation may even work for him.

Comments @10D-15,

Whereas president Obama has selected and appointed so many brilliant Indians to key posts,purely on their merit,here in India we are imposing on ourselves a barely educated Priyanka and a Rahul Gandhi with suspect degrees.If Obama can find so many brilliant Indians,can we not find merited youngsters to take the lead here amongst 120 crores people,instead of clamouring for a Rahul and Priyanka only because they belong to a family?Nobody has heard of the families of Roosvelt,Churchill,or Stalin still being treated as exclusive families in their countries.We should end this family rule,instead of talking about a Rihaan.

Nagaraj Ji,

 You are not good at detecting sarcasm.

Though I havent seen much in Saba"s articles,but the assesment she has made based on results i UP and other states is quite good.

Rahul is virtually begging for votes and made UP a battle for his political legitmacy,that he has taken a huge task of reviving Congress in UP is well taken,We never had political heirs taking the tough route in Politics as heirs of political families.One is Akilesh Yadav and the other Rahul.

As a influential Congressmen he has done precious little in making MMS act against corrupt.

UP results will make or break is future in Indian politics.To me Congress will win Punjab,lose Uttarkhand and get 65 seats in UP.

Congress is the biggest curse on India and with these italian morons, it makes me feel ashamed. A so called national party refuses to look beyond one family, even if that family is no more indian. i fail to understand with so much talent and money around, why can't we have one truly nationalist party with say 300 or 400 candidates, who have a solid name and reputation of their own, backed and funded by corporate houses and aam aadmi, get elected and throw these corrupt morons in jail en masse.

 "So, what happens if Rahul fails?"

Really, nothing. The cover stories are based on the premise that the current elections will have national implications. That premise is totally false to begin with. Does anyone remember the 2011 elections and their implications? Or the Bihar elections? Congress lost every election in 2008 and yet managed to win in 2009. BJP won big in 2003 only to lose in 2004. 

These elections will have no bearing three months from now.

 "The subliminal message is, if not Rahul, there’s Priyanka."

And if not Priyanka, then there is Rihaan. And if not Rihaan, there is Miraya. And if not Miraya, some puppy from the Nehru clan. 

"So, what happens if Rahul fails?"

Really, nothing."

I agree. Nothing happened after Bihar election. Nothing wil happen if Congress fails in UP. Of course, he will get credit if Congress does well in UP. Some are just born lucky.

 "Of course, he will get credit if Congress does well in UP"

I think that would be deserved. WHatever one can say about the Prince, it is a fact that he has been trying to get a foothold in UP for three or four years now. And if the effort pays off, he is entitled to his day in sun.