The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that is to unroll in 2012 is of great importance to the Congress that rules at the Centre. Moreover, it is the state that will decide the future of many political parties including the ruling BSP, BJP and Congress. Though the state is divided on caste and religious lines, the Congress is trying hard to make a comeback in the state that once was ruled by it.
However, the emergence of backward and Dalit political parties brought an end to the Congress rule or misrule. Also, the demolition of Babri Mosque alienated the loyal Muslim voters who since Independence had always casted their votes to the Congress. But all this has not stopped Congress from making effort to wrest power from the backwards. With most of its upper caste and Muslim voters gone, the party is trying its best to woe them back in its fold. Efforts are on to bring in the Dalit votes too. Looking at the current scenario things seem difficult, but the party cannot be written off . Rahul Gandhi is the biggest card that the Congress is playing in UP.
Keeping all this in mind, Rahul has been touring the state and interacting with Dalits, upper caste and Muslims to garner their support. Will it work when elections take place? It is too early to jump to any conclusion. The fact is despite Rahul's popularity it seems to be an uphill task. Even a few seats improvement would not be bad for the Congress. But the problem with the oldest party is that it was all the cake and eat it to. Will it be able to do so?
The election countdown has begun with Rahul addressing people in Phulpur, Uttar Pradesh, 30 km from Allahabd, the first constituency from where Rahul's grandfather Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was elected to Parliament in the first Lok Sabha elections in 1951.
No comments:
Post a Comment