The Communist Influence: How Dipankar Bhattacharya Is Shaping Rahul Gandhi's Political Strategy

Dipankar Bhattacharya, general secretary of the Communist Party of India [Marxist-Leninist], appears to have emerged as Rahul Gandhi's newest confidant and ideological mentor, filling the void left by the late CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

From 2014 to 2024, Rahul looked to Yechury as a political ideologue and theoretician, maintaining a relationship of mutual respect that often displeased his own party leaders.

In the aftermath of the Bihar electoral defeat, Dipankar has been observed providing reassurance to Rahul, suggesting that the results reflected issues beyond the Mahagathbandan's capabilities.

Recently, AICC general secretary Krishna Allavaru visited Dipankar's residence at 25 Meena Bagh, after which they proceeded to 10 Janpath where Rahul awaited them. During their two-hour discussion analyzing the Bihar election outcome, Dipankar maintained that the results had minimal connection to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's popularity or welfare schemes for women voters.

Terms like "unnatural result" and "special intensive revision being superfluous" dominated the conversation. Leveraging his background as a statistician-turned-political theoretician, Dipankar persuaded Rahul that the election results represented not an opposition crisis but rather a democratic threat. Rahul himself mentioned how certain influential American figures had alluded to electoral irregularities.

Another notable discussion reportedly involved a high constitutional functionary sending overtures to the Leader of Opposition, expressing respect for the principal opposition party. This functionary apparently mentioned having worked closely with senior Congress leader PJ Kurian and harbored no bias toward Congress or its opposition leader. These overtures allegedly prompted derision and threats of punitive measures should Congress return to power.

Dipankar's influence on Rahul was evident throughout the Bihar campaign. The CPI-ML leader was frequently seen alongside him, functioning simultaneously as peacemaker, negotiator, and strategist. He famously pressured Vikassheel Insaan Party leader Mukesh Sahni into providing Rahul with written assurance stating "main Kahin Nahin jaa raha hoon" (I'm not going anywhere). Dipankar also played a crucial role in the Mahagathbandan's public statement promising Sahni the Deputy Chief Minister position if the alliance won.

Both Congress and CPI(M) insiders express bewilderment at Dipankar's proximity and influence over Rahul. Party members note that Rahul's economic and political perspectives are heavily influenced by left-of-center ideology, often affecting his judgment and creating friction with party leaders.

In a 2010 interview with Cambridge campus paper Varsity, Rahul described himself as an 'economist.' The interviewers, as quoted by his biographer Aarthi Ramachandran, observed that he "tended to talk about things using economic language," describing affirmative action as a "supply and demand" issue and discussing teachers' changing role in information dissemination. During this interview, Rahul, who holds an M.Phil in developmental economics, stated he disagreed with much of Cambridge's curriculum, adding, "I am a lot less left-wing now than I was."

Rahul's leftist inclinations have often been attributed to his close advisors. However, the impracticality of his vision was highlighted at the CPI(M)'s 23rd Party Congress in Kannur, Kerala, where the party observed that Congress's diminishing political influence and organizational strength had rendered it unable to unite all secular opposition parties.

Dipankar's CPI-ML maintains several ideological and tactical differences with both the CPI and CPI(M). A significant disagreement concerns characterizing the threat posed by the BJP-led central government. While Dipankar argues that the Modi government and RSS agenda exhibit "neo-fascist characteristics," the CPI(M) moderates this view, clarifying that though the government displays such characteristics, fascism in India remains a tendency rather than a fully established reality. Dipankar has criticized this position as potentially undermining the Communist movement's morale and clarity.

Interestingly, Dipankar demonstrates openness toward Congress supporting Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress against the BJP in upcoming West Bengal elections—a proposition potentially unacceptable to both CPI(M) and Congress. The question circulating at Indira Bhawan and 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi is whether Dipankar can persuade Rahul to adopt a more 'pragmatic' approach toward the West Bengal elections rather than pursuing a CPI(M)-Congress alliance, which could impact the United Democratic Front's prospects in Kerala.

(Rasheed Kidwai is an author, columnist and conversation curator)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author