Rahul Gandhi's long-expected takeover of the Congress may finally happen. The party, in an internal meeting on Monday, hinted at Rahul's elevation to the top post. The 47-year-old Congress vice president is expected to be elected unopposed, a step that will put the Gandhi scion closer to the opportunity that has eluded him for years due to the party's unabated electoral losses.Though Rahul-will-revive-Congress narrative has become stale after so many failed attempts by the party to launch the leader, his elevation as party chief offers him a chance to perform better.Below are the factors that can help Rahul prove that he is worthy of the new role:What Congress veteran Mani Shakar Aiyar said recently reveals the way Congress is changing. Commenting on election to choose the party president, he said, " I think only two people can be Congress President—mother or son." The factual yet caustic statement indicates that old Gandhi family loyalists may not matter much in the days ahead. Rahul is moving away from the old guard and relying on new leaders. Rise of Sachin Pilot and Jyotiraditya Scindia shows Rahul is not going to rely on Sonia's coterie. That's what can work for him. The geriatric courtiers of Congress are unable to think beyond the traditional electoral math while India is changing by the day. A new group of advisors can help Rahul connect to the new generation and forge a new narrative which he needs so much. Of course, embracing new advisors, at the cost of old guard which includes many leaders at the grassroots, can become challenging for Rahul because not many in his close group would have mass connect. But only new leaders with new thought can transform the Congress.Of late, Rahul has appeared on social media as an aggressive and ambitious leader, a clear break from his usual image of a reluctant politician. His 'Gabbar Singh' jibe at GST caught on with people. He has 'desified' himself as he speaks in the street lingo that connects with the masses. He has impressed many with his new articulate avatar but he still needs a story to tell. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has struck at the roots of Congress's age-old religion-and-caste strategy. The Congress can hardly hope to emerge safely from under the weight of anachronistic strategies. Rahul has been criticising Modi vociferously—and, for the first time, with some impact. But he needs to have a new narrative. His temple visits during his campaign in Gujarat and raising of economic issues do point out at a change in strategy from relying only on minority-and-dalit vote banks.But he still lacks a coherent vision to present to the masses. He needs to be clear what he wants to do on the economic front and how it's better than what Modi is doing. Modi has turned economy into a poll issue and Rahul cannot have wishy-washy ideas.Rahul is often portrayed by his fans as someone who bears the legacy of his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru. Rahul bears the burden of a socialist ideology that has stopped enthusing Indian masses—at best it sounds nostalgic politics and at worst patronising towards today's aspirational voters. Modi has mastered the art of communicating with the poor but aspiring classes. Rahul must find ways to tackle his uneasy legacy. If he wants to appear a change agent, as he tries to sound in his public speeches, he must act like one and bury his past.He cannot keep talking of the new while carrying the old on his shoulders. Indian masses will not accept Rahul the scion. But Rahul the new leader can have traction with them. A few years ago, he had said in a rally that poor can't eat roads. He was responding to the BJP's claim of having built networks of roads in rural areas. He will have to shun the rhetoric that is past its sell-by date.