Uttar Pradesh polls 2017: Rahul Gandhi roadshow may flop, Congress leaders fear quietly

What’s there in name, they say. Well quite a lot, if you are Congress strategist and has anything to do with the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s much hyped “mega roadshow”, proposed to begin from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh was earlier named as Mahayatra but then someone with proficiency in Hindi and Indian traditions raised red flag, saying that Mahayatra in a term that is used by many for the last journey of a departed soul. The point instantly stirred conscience of all concerned and after some brainstorming a new socialistic name was conceived — Kisan Yatra.[caption id=“attachment_2954138” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. PTI[/caption] After all, Rahul, as Congress claims is to travel some 2,500 km, crossing through 39 districts and 233 assembly constituencies, in relatively backward regions of the Hindi heartland. So, when the Congress vice-president lands in a village en-route his road show, he would prefer sitting on a cot or a charpoy with the farmers or whosoever interested, than climbing on a podium and have a rather relaxed Khat Sabha (charpoy meeting). The Congress men in Uttar Pradesh are not really enthused with the party high command or its hired poll strategist’s idea to push Rahul Gandhi for a lengthy roadshow. Firstpost spoke to a few Congress men, rooted in Uttar Pradesh, placed at varied levels of organisational hierarchy, tier two, tier three and tier four and got the impression that most of them were deeply concerned over the way this plan was conceived and hyped. They requested anonymity but were very critical of the idea. Here are their concerns and reasoning why it is not a good idea. First, they wondered why should Prashant Kishor guide Rahul Gandhi and Congress strategists to hold a month-long road show during a season when parts of the state would be badly hit by rains and floods. The concerns of the people on the way would be entirely different than the lofty dreams of Congress’s revival about which Rahul would in all likelihood be talking to them. Second, some of them believe that the date for roadshow — 6 September — onward was decided under pressure to start early rather than having a meticulous planning ahead of such a month-long programme. Initially, a party leader pointed out it was said that Rahul would launch the campaign in September. Then the idea of a roadshow was reached upon rather than holding big rallies because the party was not sure what kind of response the rallies would generate. However, there was a great deal of adverse commentary after it was said that it was up to Rahul to decide the dates for the roadshow. Two days ago Ghulam Nabi Azad central party in-charge Uttar Pradesh announced the date as 6 September. The choice of venue, Deoria as the venue of the roadshow was made after much deliberation. In the last parliamentary election, Rahul had launched Congress’s campaign from Phulpur, a constituency long held by stalwarts like Jawaharlal Nehru and Vijayalaxmi Pandit till 1967 but in 2014 polls Congress lost its deposit there. From the Congress perspective, Deoria is considered to be a good seat for the 2017 assembly polls Third, didn’t Rahul do the same thing in 2002 and 2007, without any tangible results? In both these elections the Congress had been limited to around two dozen seats, around 5-6 percent of the 403-member strong Uttar Pradesh assembly. The Congress has kind of politically patented the term roadshow but it has not learnt any lessons from the past and think of something new to make people take the party and its leadership seriously. Fourth, why a roadshow? A Congress leader made a substantive point that a roadshow can connect with people only when a leader holding that roadshow of representing an idea embodied in his persona. After all what do you do in a roadshow? Smile, wave and speak a few sentences at places where party workers plan a reception. That works only if people believe in the leader concerned. Then the mere waving of hands, an eye contact or just his looks can swing votes. “I have been a Congress man for past 25 years. I don’t really know what does he represent. Rahul Gandhi had umpteen opportunities to be a Union minister, be the Prime Minister and Congress president but he never took any such responsibility. Though he is de-facto boss of the party but officially, he is Politics, PoliticsDecoderstill Congress vice-president. Don’t you know people ask these questions?” he asked. Another party leader said the situation in 2007, 2012 and 2016 is different. “In 2016 we are weaker than ever before. If Rahul Gandhi couldn’t convince people in 2007 and 2012 of Congress’ worth when the party was in power at the Centre, what new does he have to offer now? Yes, we have a new poll strategist who has some idea but ultimately it is for the leadership to see how it works,” the leader said on condition of anonymity. As for the ‘Khat Sabha’ is concerned, it is argued that Rahul is much better off in his meetings with smaller groups, one-to-one interactions with farmers, unorganised labourers, women, youth and so on rather than making lengthy speeches at public rallies. But public memory is short, even shorter when it concerns politicians. Five years ago, in 2011 ahead of 2012 Uttar Pradesh elections, Rahul had landed in Bhatta Parsaul to oppose land acquisition policies of then chief minister Mayawati. It ended in his march from there to Aligarh. En-route Rahul was doing exactly what the Congress party strategists have termed today as charpoy meeting. The result was for everyone to see. Congress figured nowhere in the region when the results of last Assembly elections were announced.