NEW DELHI, 12 February 2007 — While the Congress party is hopeful of returning to power in Punjab assembly elections tomorrow, it has begun planning for elections in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
Preparatory work for elections in Uttar Pradesh is marked by brainstorming sessions in finalizing Congress list of candidates, while for Gujarat preparations are under way for three rallies to be addressed by party President Sonia Gandhi in April. After assembly elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur are over by Feb. 27, the Election Commission is expected to decide by March the dates for UP Assembly elections. Gujarat Assembly elections are likely in December.
Congress views its electoral prospect in Uttar Pradesh as “now or never.” Rahul Gandhi, party legislator from Amethi, is said to be playing a key role in shaping the party’s poll strategy aimed at restoring its political credibility in the state. Selection of the first group of around 150 candidates is expected to be announced by February end after Rahul has thoroughly studied their credentials, party sources said.
Congress bigwigs are apparently banking on Rahul proving his political credentials by helping the party win the UP elections. Should that happen, the party will benefit immensely in the parliamentary elections two years from now.
Not surprisingly, key party leaders have begun drawing attention to several similarities between Rahul and his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In an interview with a newspaper, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said: “Like Rajiv, he (Rahul Gandhi) has three good qualities. Respect — he knows how to talk to seniors and give respect. Secondly, he doesn’t show that he knows it all, but instead he tries to find out what you think. Thirdly, he does a lot of research.
“All these traits are like those of Rajiv. But there are many challenges ahead of him. I think his way of learning, his discipline, not making himself obvious, these things are like Rajiv, and he is very forward thinking — about technology and scientific issues.”
The party leadership is banking on several big names and performance of Congress members in 2002 elections. Big names, expected to contest from assembly constituencies of their choice, include Salman Khurshid, president of the UP Congress committee, and eight others. Congress is also banking on 165 out of 403 assembly seats, where the party candidates secured more than 8,000 votes in 2002 assembly elections.
Rahul is expected to accompany his mother Sonia during a visit to her constituency (Rae Bareli) tomorrow. This would be followed by high-power meetings in the capital city to discuss Congress candidates for the UP election.
With Gujarat slated to go to polls in December, Congress is banking on Sonia successfully countering Chief Minister Narendra Modi. B.K. Hariprasad, Congress general secretary in charge of Gujarat, said: “’We are reorganizing our Gujarat unit and reorienting Congress workers slowly. We have started with block-level meetings and the response has been very good.”
