The Congress leader played a pivotal role in arranging pre poll-ties by undoing fraught relationship between Congress and Samajwadi Party.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is scripting a comeback in Uttar Pradesh politics. Her resurgence has not only revved up supporters but invigorated them to make things better for coming general elections.
Now, it would be tempting to see — as Indian Political circles are abuzz with speculations, whether Priyanka Gandhi would contest election from Rae Bareli – her family’s pocket borough. Or would she contest from some other seat.
After her party met a crushing defeat in 2022 Assembly elections, Priyanka had preferred a recess from active politics of Uttar Pradesh. However, she has made resurgence and seems ready to shake up election race in Uttar Pradesh soon after playing a pivotal role in arranging pre poll-ties by undoing fraught relationship between Congress and Samajwadi Party.
More so, she actively participated in the fag-end of second season of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ called by her brother and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to give a message to her party workers that she is back to business. Albeit; the degree of zeal she was carrying seemed lesser than that was visible during the first season of Nyay Yatra.
In the previous version of Nyay Yatra she had walked miles alongside his brother Rahul Gandhi in various states and had stolen a ray of spotlight and created an atmosphere for reversal of fortune for her party. Yet, this season of Yatra was pale in comparison to the first one as alliance members ditched his party by staying away from the Yatra. Also, his party bigwigs did not seem unanimously democratic to show solidarity with Rahul Gandhi during the Yatra.
Nevertheless, Rahul decided to take high road to hit the streets, listen and connect with the people through Yatra, yet he could not muster support from allied partners. In Bengal, Mamata Banerjee maintained a safe distance from the Yatra and before the Yatra could enter Bihar, another partner and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key figure in I.N.D.I.A bloc, joined BJP camp. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, the Rashtriya Lok Dal too pulled out of I.N.D.I.A alliance.
Anyhow, Congress had to fix fractured political opposition by arranging pre-poll ties with Samajwadi party; accordingly a seat-sharing formula was pronounced to spell that Congress would contest only 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh in coming general elections.
As former president of Congress and party supremo Sonia Gandhi preferred Rajya Sabha route to join Parliament, there was a psychological pressure on Priyanka Gandhi to enter into fray in coming election from Rae Bareli.
If sources are believed, Priyanka too wanted to join Parliament through Rajya Sabha route, she submitted to psychological pressure to take up Uttar Pradesh seriously in coming elections. It is believed that this led her to play a lead role in brokering a pre-poll alliance with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Following Jyotiraditya Scindia’s defection to BJP, Akhilesh was also under pressure, especially regarding alliance with Congress. Also, he and his party were in quagmire soon after RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary embraced BJP-led NDA.
However, only elections results will make it clear if SP-Congress alliance could come to fruition, particularly when BJP seems riding on Ram Mandir wave to contest elections.
Further, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has also decided to contest on all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP, it is almost certain that BJP could outsmart and gain in the triangular contest.
Apparently, after successful consecration of Lord Ram’s idol in Ayodhya and abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP seems comfortable in coming elections.
In this scenario, path to victory for Congress in Rae Bareli and Amethi will be easier only if BSP refrains from fielding candidates on these two seats. But it would be known only when elections draw nearer.
Speculations are also in air that Rahul Gandhi may contest from Rae Bareli
– his mother’s home turf, while Priyanka may pick up high-profile constituency of Amethi which has turned into a battleground after Rahul’s defeat in 2019. She will face off against Union minister Smriti Irani who dared Rahul to contest from the erstwhile family bastion again. However, Psephologists and political pundits speculate that Priyanka vie for her brother’s seat in Amethi and can pose a challenge to Smriti Irani.
If Rahul secures victory in Uttar Pradesh, it would bolster the party’s position in the state. Priyanka Gandhi’s successful reversal of fortunes would not only strengthen the party’s standing within the state but also boost morale of party workers across the country.
Smriti Irani had dealt a significant blow to Rahul Gandhi in the previous Lok Sabha elections. It catapulted her position among top national figures. She remains active in Amethi, having even established a foothold there. Now, she has also made inroads into family bastion as she enjoys considerable popularity among women and rural areas.
Experts believe that Priyanka is well-regarded in her constituency, and if she manages to connect with women effectively, the elections could become intriguingly interesting. The BJP leadership will also face a formidable challenge for this seat. Consequently, Congress may spring some surprise while announcing candidates for the upcoming elections.
Although the party has not yet decided about candidates, preparations are underway to field strong Congress candidates on the 17 seats as agreed with the alliance.