In a recent interview with the Times of India, Sheila Dikshit, the former CM of Delhi was asked why Congress, despite Rahul Gandhi's aggressive campaigns is being pushed to the periphery across India. Dikshit responded, "please remember Rahul is still not mature, his age does not allow him to be mature. He is what... in his forties. Please give him time."
"I think he has come a long way. He is not yet prime minister because that opportunity will come later but he is doing things. He is attending meetings and he is one person who is known to speak his mind. I feel it is good that he is natural but if some feel that it is not so then one develops it on the way, she added.
While Dikshit feels that the 46-year-old Congress vice-president has it in him to turn things around for Congress and himself, she thinks the time is not ripe.
Here are five eminent political leaders who have come into their own at a young age.
1) Brack Obama
The African American became the 44th President of the United States at the age of 47. During his term from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017, unemployment rate went down from 10% to 4.7%, the veteran homeless rate dropped by 50 percent and Bush-era torture policies came to an end. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people". Obama government orchestrated the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, the end of Iraq war and oversaw a marked improvement in women's pay.
2) Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of India when he assumed office at the age of 40. He worked towards ridding the Congress party of corrupt and criminal politicians. Education, science and technology received a boost during his term. MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) scaled new heights under his watch. He put an end to the Punjab turbulence and promoted cooperation with the members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Countries (SAARC).
3) Justin Trudeau
Justin Trudeau became the second youngest person to take the prime minister's mantle in Canada a day before his 40th birthday. He assumed office on November 4, 2015. Trudeau has taken measures to ease the tax burden of the middle class. He also made clear his commitment towards the empowerment of indigenous community of Canada.
4) David Cameron
Cameron became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 2010 at the age of 44. Besides reviving the British economy post the 2008 global financial crisis, he also created two million jobs in private sector. He worked tirelessly to clear the deck for the same sex marriage act, which came into effect in 2014.
5) Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto became the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the age of 35. Being the first woman to head a Muslim majority nation, she made headway by cracking down on Islamic militants, setting the stage for a strong democracy by doing away with many restrictions on civil liberties imposed by the generals, and gave a leg up to the economy by bringing in foreign investment.
Benazir Bhutto
