Sheila Dikshit's backing the BJP is something the Congress should learn from

Does the

leadership of today know how to give a smart twist to a script? Or its entire political strategising revolves around targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party on issues like Hindu communalism?

Sheila Dikshit has shown the Congress how to play subtle politics

Former Congress chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit has shown her party how to act when every prospect looks down. Her willingness to give the BJP a chance to form a government in Delhi shows the mature politician in her who is ready to take a step back when the situation so demands?

But is the rest of the Congress willing to learn from her? From the reaction that has come out of the party so far, the answer looks largely negative.

Backing the BJP to form government is a calculated strategy

Sheila Dikshit, as a seasoned politician, has expressed her opinion on the BJP's forming the government in Delhi drives home a key point. By making a pro-BJP comment, she actually puts the ball into the BJP's court on the question of taking a lead in resolving the Delhi crisis. The BJP, for some unknown reason, has not shown interest in going to the polls despite bagging a massive mandate in the general election in April-May. By supporting it, Dikshit has made the BJP answerable to some extent.

A strategy top leaders of Congress hesitate to undertake

The leader knows that the BJP might not be in a decisive mode on Delhi election and could crumble even if it comes to power, which would go to the Congress's advantage. Sometimes, acknowledging a more powerful opinion is a wise thing to do and something which the top leaders of the Congress, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, prefer not to do.

A 'strategic retreat' is a useful term in politics and Sheila has shown it well

The Congress felt Sheila Dikshit's remarks would only weaken its stand on the BJP's efforts to form a government in Delhi. It called Sheila Dikshit's take on the matter a personal opinion and that she is trying to win her lost ground back in Delhi where her anti-lobby has stopped her entry ever since the loss in the 2013 poll loss.

If Sheila is trying to regain lost ground, what's the problem? Don't Sonia and Rahul want to regain ground?

If the seasoned politician is trying to get back her lost ground in Delhi, one can not accuse her for that. Will the Gandhis not want to regain some lost ground after getting walloped by the Modi Hurricane? Off course they will but the problem is that they will not agree to acknowledge Modi's rise even if that means helping their own cause in the long-term.

Sheila Dikshit, being a leader who has remained in the thick of politics for a long time, knows the nitty-gritty of politics well and doesn't hesitate to make a strategic retreat. For the likes of Sonia and Rahul, that is equivalent to loss of prestige may be.

The Congress's top down model has indeed gone past its expiry date. Why not reverse the structure and give some original politicians a chance to show the way?