The Newshour Debate: Rahul Gandhi takes centrestage - (Part 1 of 4)

The Congress sounded their war bugle for 2014 in their Jaipur Chintan Shivir with the anointment of Rahul Gandhi as the new Vice President. But the BJP reacted to Rahul's appointment by raising questions over his potential, saying that it has to be seen whether the nation accepts him as a leader on the basis of "family inheritance". Meanwhile, the new party VP has already taken charge and upped the ante, not just for the BJP but for also for his own party workers. Rahul's coronation speech after being elevated to the number 2 position in the party was a stirring one, but one in which he emphasised in no uncertain terms on the need for those in the Congress to either perform or face the axe. With this elevation, party leaders wasted no time before rooting for Rahul as the next Prime Minister. .

In a debate moderated by TIMES NOW's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, panelists -- Madhu Gaud Yashki, MP, Lok Sabha, Congress; Prof Rajeev Gowda, Professor, IIM Bangalore; Rasheed Kidwai, Senior Journalist; Naresh Gujral, MP Rajya Sabha, SAD; Kumar Ketkar, Chief Editor, 'Daily Divya Marathi', Bhaskar Group; Nirmala Sitharaman, National Spokesperson, BJP; Ashok Malik, Senior Journalist; Saba Naqvi, Political Editor, 'Outlook' and Dr. Manisha Priyam, Political Analyst -- discuss if the Congress has gained the upper hand with Rahul's elevation.