How Cong scaled down UP strategy

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 17

As soon as news of an alliance with Samajwadi Party became official today, Congress cadres reacted with mixed emotions bordering on extremes.

While a majority blamed AICC’s central leadership for “betraying” the aspirations of UP by first promising a solo fight and then deciding to partner, a minority acknowledged that Congress’ good show in the largest state hinged on an alliance. “There were apprehensions about how the party would fare had it gone alone,” said a leader. Internal Congress surveys also did not paint a rosy picture for an independent show by the party, which had initially displayed tremendous aggression in the state.

A majority of the UP Congress leaders feel the decision would undermine Congress’ already sagging morale in the state where it has been out of power since 1989. There is also anguish in local ranks over the fact that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi ignored the dominant voice in UP Congress, which favoured “ekla chalo” in the state.

Looking back, Congress’ UP campaign was crafted around the party as a principal challenger to the two regional forces SP and BSP. Rahul Gandhi’s war cry throughout his longest political road show in UP (Deoria se Dilli tak) was “27 saal UP behaal”. 

The party was targeting lack of development in the state since 1989 when BSP and SP primarily ruled it.

“There was tremendous zeal among Congress workers when Rahul Gandhi gave a call to oust SP and BSP. We all worked hard but are back to zero. Local cadres have surrendered as seats will be negotiated and they will be sacrificed,” said a UP Congress worker actively involved in Congress UP campaign led by strategist Prashant Kishor.

So when did Congress change tack? Sources say the first signs appeared after the Army’s surgical strikes across the LoC and the BJP’s bravado around the move. “The issue altered local power equations and benefitted the BJP. Serious thinking then began around alliance talks to stop the division of secular votes,” said a Congress leader referring also to a controversial meeting Kishor later had with the ruling Yadavs of UP.