Hum Bolega To Bologe Ki Bolta Hai: The eternal problem of Rahul Gandhi

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is set to make his first-ever speech in the Parliament from the Opposition benches. That Rahul Gandhi will speak at 4 pm was being telecast as a breaking news! [Rahul Gandhi helps woman leader on stage]

So what will Rahul Gandhi say so big that his speech made the headlines even before it was made?

Going by the 44-year-old leader's speech at the Kisan Rally in New Delhi, it is unlikely that Monday's speech will be anything earth-shattering. [Meditation did not help Rahul Gandhi]

Whether Rahul speaks or remains silent, it is a problem

But whatever he says in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi's problem is that whatever he does is an issue for the Indian media and the audience. If he doesn't speak and goes abroad, it is a problem. If he speaks, it is even a bigger problem. So what does he do? [Twitterati terms Rahul Gandhi's Kisan rally a flop show]

At the Kisan rally, Rahul Gandhi was basically reading out a compilation of farmers' plight

On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi was basically reading out a compilation on the farmers' plight punctuated with criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It sounded too elementary and the Congress vice-president looked a medium to reach out to the farmers who reportedly lost their land.

Okay, that is something we get to hear and read in popular media everyday. What extra is Rahul Gandhi saying?

One-fine appearance in Parliament will not help Rahul Gandhi much

The one-fine appearance of the Congress leader, who can't be exactly called a Young Turk, has reduced his weight in India's parliamentary politics. Parliament is not a shooting studio where filmstars make their prized appearance.

It is about day-to-day engagement in the parliament and Rahul Gandhi has fared poorly by that perimeter by now. If a leader skips the parliamentary session and makes a much publicised comeback for a speech, it proves there is a deliberate effort to push him up at the expense of the real issues on the ground.

Occasional criticism of Narendra Modi or narrating what one or two farmer said across the country is not going to help Rahul Gandhi's cause. He must find a solution if he can and the Indian voters won't mind even if he discusses the burning issues with the PM.