Rahul Gandhi Promoted to Key Congress Role

Rahul Gandhi, the 37-year-old scion of India's Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, was elevated to a key political position for the first time since he entered parliament three years ago amid speculation that the world's largest democracy may face snap polls.

Mr Gandhi, educated at Harvard and Cambridge universities, will follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, and his father, Rajiv, to become general secretary of the ruling Congress party, effectively taking over day-to-day running of India's largest party. The post is seen as a stepping stone to being prime minister.

The appointment comes as India's coalition government has been torn apart by a bitter row over whether Delhi should sign up to a nuclear deal with Washington that would allow the country to retain its atomic weapons and buy reactors and uranium. The communist parties, whose support is essential for the government, vehemently oppose the deal.

Mr Gandhi, who last year called for a "fresh assessment of nuclear energy as a clean and safe source", has remained silent over the current debacle.

He is seen as a pivotal figure in Congress circles, able to enthuse young people, who make up more than half of India's 1 billion people.

There is no doubting his pedigree. A member of the Gandhi family has been in charge of India for 40 of the 60 years since independence. The clan blends the right to rule of British monarchy with the tragic glamour of America's Kennedy family.

Rahul Gandhi's great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was India's first prime minister. His grandmother, Indira, and father, Rajiv, also led the country. Both were assassinated.

After winning the 2004 general election, his mother, the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, declined to follow her husband into office, opting instead to wield power from behind the throne. She appointed Manmohan Singh, a feted economist, as prime minister.

Yesterday, Congress activists took to the streets outside the party headquarters, beating drums and letting off fireworks, after Mr Gandhi's elevation was announced.

Ms Gandhi's decision to promote her son was seen as long overdue by analysts, who say that the country's biggest party is in danger of "melting away".

"The Congress party needs refreshing and reinvigorating. Rahul's job is to do that," said Mahesh Rangarajan, professor of history at Delhi University.

"Congress desperately needs a new team to bring back the party faithful, especially if elections are around the corner. In effect, Mrs Gandhi has appointed her son as general for a battle because her army is melting away."

Mr Rangarajan said the younger Gandhi needed to "get into the villages and towns more"' because his first foray into politics highlighted his inexperience and naivety.

Mr Gandhi had conspicuously failed to win any new seats when he spearheaded the elections in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, earlier this year.

He lost out to the leader of the India's dalits, or untouchables, Mayawati, a former teacher whose political guile saw her first become chief minister at the age of 35.

She succeeded this year by recreating the coalition of Muslims, low castes and high castes that once was the Congress's political base.

Pran Chopra, a political commentator, said: "The new generation of politicians have their roots in caste and religion. They are street fighters with unquestioning followers who can work crowds. And they have won elections. Rahul has a lot to learn."

Even without the prospect of early general elections - the next national poll is scheduled for 2009 - India has an unforgiving electoral cycle. In the next year, there are elections in Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, by which time almost a quarter of the population would have given its verdict on the latest Gandhi to seek their votes.