Sunday, March 4, 2012

The U.P. Debate - Who wins?


Lot has been & will be said on the Uttar Pradesh Elections over the past month and in coming week. Initial exit polls suggest a resurgent SP and likely fallout maybe coming together of Congress with BSP, or BJP & BSP getting together. ( eg : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hung-assembly-in-up-exit-polls/top/37959-4.htmlhttp://exitopinionpollsindia.blogspot.in/). The way I see it, even the horse trading post results may not really help the opposition, and Akhilesh Yadav should easily sweep the electoral battle with a comfortable majority. Having seen this sweeping polarising the last time round with the BSP in UP & TMC in West Bengal, I am somehow convinced Akhilesh has won this time round.

Whatever the result, One must accept, It is not a an easy task to reposition the brand of a party like Samajwadi Party, which has a history of violence & hooliganism. To turn that around to a "Umeed ki Cycle" in spite of having the highest percentage of candidates with criminal backgrounds/charges(http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-crorepatis-and-criminals-prevail-in-uttar-pradesh-election/20120227.htm) is a commendable job. Also, in spite of extensive use of technology, money & dynastic politics in its electoral battle, Akhilesh has emerged as the son of Uttar Pradesh & friend of the young. He has emerged as the hope of the downtrodden, Hindu & Muslim alike.

The biggest loser in this whole battle in spite of doing lot of hard work is Rahul Gandhi. He seems to have lost tack of the game plan with Akhilesh upsetting his bandwagon. Also his total reliance on Digvijay Singh, seems to have backfired this time round, although no one will admit that in public. There have been murmurs of dissatisfaction with Digvijay's style of functioning, and the toe toeing to the Dynastic Politics by the Congress Party. Also, Rahul has been unable to make himself believable as the "people's man" in spite of having enough time & support to prove himself, which has really hurt his credentials.

 People would have reacted more positively to Priyanka Gandhi than to anyone else in Uttar Pradesh, and if Congress really wants to regain power on its own here then probably, it is time it seriously starts propping up Priyanka as its future rather than Rahul.

While different Exit polls offer varying suggestions, one thing is clear, Akhilesh Yadav is here to stay, and will be a major force to reckon with in the next two decades. With a dearth of young composed leaders who are in touch with the masses while having a mature history & a modern outlook to back them, Akhilesh Yadav is surely cementing his place in the political arena with his hard work & calculated gambles.

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