No Rahul versus Modi this time
11 Aug 2012 8:39 AM IST
While there is still uncertainty about the future role of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, what is certain is that one won't get to see active campaigning by the Congress general secretary in the coming assembly elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. The decision to restrict the Congress general secretary to select few public meetings was taken after the debacle in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi had held over hundred meetings in Uttar Pradesh before the polls.
'We made the mistake of sending our big hope to every single battle in Uttar Pradesh. From now on his campaigning will be selected,' said a Congress leader. The assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will be held in November this year. However, unlike previous occasions, Rahul Gandhi has still not made a single visit to Gujarat and has only been to Himachal Pradesh once. Gandhi has visited Karnataka only once.
Though sources say that Congress general secretary has been interacting with local leaders of Gujarat and Karnataka, his visibility will be at the national level and unlike previous times his involvement will not be at micro level. The change in strategy comes in wake of the dismal results in the recent assembly elections where Rahul Gandhi had actively campaigned.
'We have seen the impact of Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, so even if he campaigns in Gujarat he won't be able to make an impact,' said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh. In Uttar Pradesh, the party was able to win only twenty eight seats while in Bihar, Congress bagged mere four seats.
THE PRINCE'S UP DEBACLE
'We made the mistake of sending our big hope to every single battle in Uttar Pradesh. From now on his campaigning will be selected,' said a Congress leader. The assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will be held in November this year. However, unlike previous occasions, Rahul Gandhi has still not made a single visit to Gujarat and has only been to Himachal Pradesh once. Gandhi has visited Karnataka only once.
Though sources say that Congress general secretary has been interacting with local leaders of Gujarat and Karnataka, his visibility will be at the national level and unlike previous times his involvement will not be at micro level. The change in strategy comes in wake of the dismal results in the recent assembly elections where Rahul Gandhi had actively campaigned.
'We have seen the impact of Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, so even if he campaigns in Gujarat he won't be able to make an impact,' said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh. In Uttar Pradesh, the party was able to win only twenty eight seats while in Bihar, Congress bagged mere four seats.
THE PRINCE'S UP DEBACLE
- Rahul Gandhi had pulled out all stops in UP this year.
- He tried to build on the hope handed out by a very good showing in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009.
- Rahul led a much-hyped campaign armed with a ‘winning strategy’.
- UP was drawn more to the fresh appeal of Akhilesh Yadav.
- Samajwadi Party posted a spectacular win.
- Rahul had admitted, ‘generally there was a mood for SP, which is very apparent’.
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