Rahul Reluctant campaigner in Assembly polls

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Rahul Reluctant campaigner in Assembly polls

Congress banking on Sonia, Priyanka

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Sep 26

There is intense speculation in the Congress whether former Congress president Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Maharashtra and Haryana in the ensuing Assembly polls.

The speculation gained momentum as Rahul Gandhi has become incommunicado and stays away from party activities. Except for visiting his parliamentary constituency Wayanad in Kerala, he is not taking interest in party affairs.

he has shunned meeting even the senior leaders and did not attend the CWC meeting and other meetings. So much so that when senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad wanted to inquire through his office if he would be campaigning for the Haryana Assembly polls, he did not get any response. Though he has not said a "No" to the campaigning but he has not consented as yet.

If sourcese are to be believed, Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in the foot march (Padyatra) from Gandhi Ashram in Wardha. But its a non-political program and not part of the poll campaign.

However, there are indications that Congress president Sonia Gandhi, despite not so good health, will address a couple of rallies in the two states. Priyanka Gandhi, incharge of UP, may visit Haryana as she is under extreme pressure from the state leaders including Sejia, B S Hooda and others.

The Congress' leadership problem is that it doesn't have star campaigners except the Gandhis and sword of uncertainty is hanging. Even Navjot Singh Sidhu has gone in hibernation.

The party is in the process of compiling a comprehensive list of its campaigners in the Assembly polls.

However, Rahul Gandhi is active on twitter stridently opposing the abrogation of Article 370 despite the party officially had been coy. In fact, the party has allowed different voices to be expressed by its leaders sensing the mood of the people.

Rahul Gandhi has been poking fun at PM Modi for HOWDY, Modi at Houston and on other issues.

This is the only visible line of communication he has kept open with the party.

Otherwise, he is confined to reading books, watching TV on the big screen at his Tughlaq Road residence, visiting Khan market with a couple of close friends, rigorous workout at the gym at home and talking to non-political friends.

Ends 

Rahul Mantra: Win More Contest Less

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Bullet points

Rahul Mantra: Win More Contest Less

Congress to contest 396 LS seats

Alliances clinched across India

Sacrificing seats to defeat Modi

Brings More aggression and Prompt reaction

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, April 6

The congress had contested 464 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and secured 44, its lowest tally ever.

It had no ally in the entire country except Maharashtra, Bihar, Kerala and adjustments in Jharkhand.

However, this time, the party will be contesting around 396 seats and has alliances in most of the states which matter for the party. If it is able to stitch alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and neighbouring state of Haryana, the tally may come down but winnaibility of seats will be enhanced to some extent. and has strong allies in some of the states including. Interestingly, it may not have a direct alliance in Andhra Pradesh and contesting all the 25 seats. But it will help CM N Chandrababu Naidu in cutting into anti-TDP votes. In fact, TDP may gain as anti-TDP votes will be divided among the Congress, YSR Congress and the BJP. Another consolation point for the Congress is that TRS did not enter into any alliance with the BJP leaving options open for it in a post-poll scenario.

The Congress has strong allies in Maharashtra and left 23 seats for NCP and Swabhiman Pakshe and BAV. Similarly, it is positioning itself to focus on more on Karnataka and Kerala to enhance its seat and vote where. In Both these states the Congress had secured 9 and 8 Lok Sabha seats respectively. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a decision to enter into an alliance with Janata Dal (S) and sacrificed the post of the Chief Minister to ensure that BJP's tally is brought down from 18 seats. The Congress-JD (S) together are targeting to take the tally to at least 16-18 seats. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad is aimed at enhancing Congress tally and relatively be free for campaigning across the country and spend too much time in Amethi. In Bihar, the Congress contested 12 seats in 2014 and secured 2. But it came down to contesting 9 in 2019 so that it could get 4-5 seats and contain BJP-JD (U)-LJP juggernaut to win 32 seats again. In Tamil Nadu, the Congress contested all the 39 seats on its own in 2014 and drew a blank. Now it hopes to reap the harvest in alliance with the DMK by contesting only 8 seats. In UP, the Congress may not be in alliance with SP-BSP and got only two seats. But it is contesting only 51 seats and pitted candidates on some seats who will indirectly help the SP candidates. The Congress hopes to gain in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and North East including Assam.

Rahul Gandhi has brought new blood and aggression in the party and faces like K.C. Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, Dipak Babaria, Shaktisinh Gohil, Avinash 

Pandey, Jitendra Singh, Rajeev Satav, Sushmita Dev, R.P.N. Singh, Gaurav Gogoi etc to name a few.

"Unlike Soniaji, he is hands-on “CP” a term used for Congress president. Under Rahul's leadership, the party is very prompt in rebutting BJP charges, setting the agenda and use of social media.

Ends