The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Priyanka, Sonia absent, so Congress candidates make do with their photos
WITH SONIA Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra unable to campaign for them, crestfallen Congress candidates and workers in Amethi and Rae Bareli — they consider it the family pocket borough — say they will try to win the elections with the “photographs” of these leaders.
A month before the Assembly elections were announced there was talk that Priyanka would campaign beyond Amethi and Rae Bareli. But halfway into the elections — campaigning for six seats in Rae Bareli closed on Tuesday evening for Thursday’s fourth-phase polling — local Congress leaders realise Priyanka has not campaigned extensively.
She had held block-level meetings in each Assembly constituency in Rae Bareli and camped for about two weeks during the 2012 Assembly and 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
While Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has tried to fill the gap, his public meetings have been limited to some seats. Congress sources said Priyanka had never campaigned extensively in Assembly elections barring 2012. Sources also spoke about the eye injury her son sustained some time ago. Although he has recovered, they say he still needs her attention.
Party leaders in Rae Bareli said Priyanka — they credit her for sealing the alliance with Samajwadi Party — has had a “bigger role in planning” for this election and, therefore, had to limit herself in Rae Bareli and Amethi. But others said that with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav emphasising that only a big heart can sustain long-term relationships, it is probably the alliance and focus on 2019 General Election that has made her restrict herself even in the region.
“Uparwale jane, kuch wajah hai, nahi aa pa rahe hain. Hum log to unka photo laga ke chunav jeet rahe hain (The top leaders would know. For some reason, they cannot come. We are going to win the election with their photographs),” said Ashok Kumar Singh, the Congress candidate from Sareni Assembly constituency of Rae Bareli, where Akhilesh addressed a meeting in support of SP candidate and sitting MLA Devendra Pratap Singh.
“Everything here belongs to them (Gandhi family), so they do not need to clarify their support in our favour,” Singh said.
In Unchahar, Congress candidate Ajay Pal Singh, who is contesting against SP’S Manoj Kumar Pandey,amongothers,isupsetbecause Akhilesh held a public meeting in support of the SP candidate. “Congress is contesting these seats only after a dialogue with them,” Singh said. “It was agreed initially that both senior leaders would not campaign where there is clash of candidates. But there was breach of trust from their end.”
Priyanka, who has in the past played the role of campaign manager for her mother as well as brother, was present with Rahul during the meeting in Rae Bareli Sadar Assembly constituency on February 17. Candidates from other seats were called to this meeting but she did not speak. Only Rahul addressed the crowd there.
Later in the day, she accompanied Rahul to Bachharawan constituency, where both addressed the crowd.
In 2012, Priyanka had camped for about two weeks in these 10 constituencies and touched each and every block through small public meetings. Targeting largely the SP and BSP, she had then spoken on how corruption and lawlessness had been brought to the state by the two parties. She said she was campaigning on behalf of Rahul, who was busy touring the entire state then. But the Congress won only two of these 10 seats.
In her speech last week in Bachharawan, Priyanka targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2012, while addressing a meeting in the same seat, Priyanka had said that they had seen many parties in 22 years, “Samajwadi Dal ki sarkar dekhi aur yeh dekha ki vikas laane ke bajaye arajakta phaili... aapne BSP ko parkha aur yeh dekha vikas ke karya me samarpit hone ki bajaye bhrastachar aage badha.”
This time, despite the alliance, Congress and SP candidates are contesting against each other on four seats.
Vinay Dwivedi, Congress spokesperson in Rae Bareli, said: “Until last elections, she had to look after only Rae Bareli and Amethi. This time, she is playing a bigger role in planning of the election as well. That is why she has not been able to give time in the same manner.”
In Amethi, where elections for three seats will take place in the fifth phase, Congress district president Yogendra Mishra is still hopeful. “Rahul Gandhi is coming here for a public meeting. There is demand for Priyankaji also from the candidates. She might join Rahulji,” he said.