Issues raised by Cong failed to impress voters

The prediction by the exit polls about dismal performance by the Congress suggests that the party got it all wrong and the issues like the Rafale deal, NYAY, unemployment and alleged "arrogance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised by it during the election campaign failed the impress the voters.

The exit poll results indicate that not only did it get the poll plank wrong, but it also made strategic mistakes like being late in stitching an alliance in Bihar and failing to be a part of the 'gathbandhan' of Samajwadi PartyBahujan Samaj PartyRashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh, where the maximum number of 80 seats were at stake.A

The BJP's thrust on nationalism, performance and delivery seem to have scored heavily over the thrust of the Congress campaign to primarily target the Prime Minister and raising questions over economic issues.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi repeatedly raised the issue of alleged corruption in Rafale fighter jet deal, unemployment and Modi government's "attack' on Constitutional institutions even as the Prime Minister kept changing tack to keep a fresh line of attack and set the narrative, with focus on nationalism and 'strong government'.

Gandhi apparently believed he was eroding credibility of Modi but exit polls indicate that his strategy may not have succeeded and the issues apparently did not resonate at the grassroots level.

The Congress apparently could not set the narrative during the elections and did not come up with a sustained agitation on any of its favourite issues to chip at Modi's "strong leader" image.

The party's campaign against the Modi government on the Rafale deal was also hit when Gandhi misquoted the Supreme Court for which the top court forced him to apologise.

A Congress functionary acknowledged that the party's campaign was damaged by Gandhi's Aapology Ato the Supreme Court for wrongly attributing his "chowkidar chor hai" slogan to the court over his allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal.