Rahul Gandhi shook hands with supporters during a rally in Baran in September

Rahul Gandhi, 43, has often seemed to lag behind the public mood. As angry crowds here have materialized around issues like corruption and policing, Mr. Gandhi, 43, has often seemed to lag behind the public mood: a handsome face, blessed with a magical name, but embodying a tarnished, risk-averse status quo. This was the time Mr. Gandhi made his move.