From Rahul to Mamata, Kejriwal to Nitish: A look at their strengths, weaknesses

By Rajdeep Sardesai: With the next general election less than two years away, a question that is being hotly debated in India’s political circles is: Who will be the Opposition's face to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi come 2024?

In the current political landscape, there are four names that have emerged during this debate: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party boss and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and Janata Dal (United) chairperson and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar’s name is the latest entrant to the debate, thanks to the goings-on in Bihar. This week, Kumar ditched the Bharatiya Janata Party and re-joined hands with Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal. The developments in Bihar have sparked speculation that come 2024, Nitish Kumar could throw his hat into the ring as far as challenging Narendra Modi for the PM’s post is concerned.

Whether the Opposition parties will manage to come together and project a combined candidate is unclear right now. But, let’s take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of these four leaders.

NITISH KUMAR'S STRENGTHS

1) Comes from a major state that is part of the Hindi heartland
2) Has had a long administrative experience, having served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government before taking charge in Bihar
3) Is an OBC leader
4) Can boast of having a strong legacy of women’s empowerment
5) Has a Mr Clean image with no serious corruption taint
6) Is a Mandal-era leader who is not a dynast

NITISH KUMAR'S WEAKNESSES

1) Too many shifts in alliance partners in Bihar could create a trust deficit among future potential allies
2) Has a limited pan-India appeal
3) Is seen to have compromised on his political beliefs for survival by changing alliance partners frequently
4) Has yet to provide a clear economic vision
5) Does not have a wider youth connect

Also Read: | Bihar | Nitish has the key

MAMATA BANERJEE'S STRENGTHS

1) Is the only woman chief minister in India right now
2) Enjoys a strong dominance in a state that sends as many as 42 MPs to the Lok Sabha
3) Enjoys a pro-poor mass leader image
4) Has often displayed a street-fighting spirit while taking on political opponents

MAMATA BANERJEE'S WEAKNESSES

1) Has a limited vocabulary in Hindi or English
2) Is seen to be a leader who has roots just in West Bengal
3) Her Trinamool Congress faces major corruption charges
4) Is often accused of promoting dynasty politics
5) Has a reputation for being unpredictable

Also Read: | Decoding Mamata’s cabinet reshuffle

ARVIND KERJRIWAL'S STRENGTHS

1) Displays the youthful energy of a leader helming a start-up party
2) Enjoys a strong connect with the middle class and the urban youth
3) Can boast of being bilingual with a command over both Hindi and English
4) Has been able to build an anti-corruption image that resounds nationally
5) Has proven to be an effective communicator

ARVIND KEJRIWAL'S WEAKNESSES

1) The Aam Aadmi Party organisation is limited to a few pockets of the country
2) Has an image of being a one-person show
3) Has few friends across the political spectrum of the Opposition
4) His image of being a ‘secular’ leader has come under question in recent times

Also Read: | Atmosphere created against free education, free medical treatment: Arvind Kejriwal

RAHUL GANDHI'S STRENGTHS

1) Is the leader of the largest Opposition party
2) Congress and the Gandhis can still lay claim to being a pan-India brand
3) Has been consistent in taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi
4) Can offer an alternate left-of-centre platform

RAHUL GANDHI'S WEAKNESSES

1) Suffers from the tag of dynasty politics
2) His Congress party struggles to take on the BJP in one-on-one fights
3) Does not have a proven record of performance, not having taken any major governance responsibilities
4) Has an image of a leader who keeps ‘disappearing’ and is not a 24x7 politician

Also Read: | Solidarity or stunt? BJP says Rahul Gandhi tore Congress leader's shirt during protest