New Delhi, Jan 14 (ANI): A political battle is in full swing in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, but this electoral fight is not so much between various political outfits as within the rank and file of the parties.
Out of the four major political parties in Uttar Pradesh, the rebellion within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) has come out onto the streets. The chaotic series of charges and counter-rhetoric is predominantly being seen within the parties.
If we talk about the saffron brigade, they are extremely perturbed by both rebel and tainted leaders. The silent and vocal opposition can, however, be seen at times.
"Prime Minister-in-waiting" Lal Krishna Advani undertook a 38-day long 'Jan Chetna Yatra' to arouse mass awareness against corruption in government and public life, but the irony is that his own party high command now appears to be on the other side of the coin on the issue. Perhaps, nobody now listens to Advani. That is why the party decided to embrace tainted BSP leader Babulal Kushwaha and appointed him as one of the 40 star campaigners of the party.
On one hand, the BJP's General Secretary Kirit Somaiya hands over files linked to sacked Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Babu Singh Kushwaha to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and demands his immediate arrest , while on the other, the saffron brigade later joins hands with him. At times, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) imparts its morals to the BJP, while at times the BJP seems to be teaching the grammer of caste -equation in cow-belt.
Moreover, Uma Bharati has expressed her unhappiness over Kushwaha's inclusion in the BJP. Bharati's political fatigue has increased with Kushwaha's induction in the BJP. Now, whether this weariness is because of Kushwaha's tainted image or because of the emergence of a new OBC leader in the BJP, cannot be speculated upon. The whole Kushwaha episode has reached to such a hilarious height that now Kushwaha has reportedly requested BJP President Nitin Gadkari to spare him and keep his party membership in suspension till he is cleared of all the 'malicious' charges levelled against him.
The BJP is not only facing opposition within its fold over Kushwaha's induction, but its allies have also opposed this move and expressed their disappointment. And in tune with this, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has now decided to field its candidates against the BJP. The JD-U is now using all its tactics without any flaw to express its ire with the BJP. However, only time can tell whether it is a friendly friction or the two political outfits are now determined to pull each other. But it is quite clear that the BJP's election campaign has now taken a backseat.
If we now look at the current position of the Samajwadi Party (SP), it also appears to be sailing on the same boat as the BJP. The rift within the party is out in the open and a step ahead in this direction was the removal of Mohan Singh as the party's spokesperson. The decision to remove Mohan Singh was taken by the family trio of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Prof Gopal Prasad Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav. Mohan Singh was given this political conviction only because he appeared to be on a different note with the thinking of Samajwadi Party General Secretary Akhilesh Yadav. Now, it will be quite interesting to see how the Rajput voters will react after bearing this insult of first removing Amar Singh and then Mohan Singh from the Samajwadi Party.
Now, what to say about the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), all its leaders surrendered before corruption ahead of the crucial assembly polls. BSP chief Mayawati is now chalking out a new strategy after showing the exit door to around 12 to 13 of her party leaders. Many of them were allotted party tickets, but the tickets were taken back at the last moment. The overall condition of the BSP at the moment is quite chaotic so much so that its supremo Mayawati hasn't till embarked upon organizing or addressing the rallies.
Moreover, the rampant corruption within the party ranks has added insult to the injury of the BSP. Idol worship, corruption, internal conflict and ethnic caste politics are not showing good political signs for the BSP.
Congress was at the fourth place in the last Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and at the third spot in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. The performance of the Congress Party has no doubt improved now. In the 2007 assembly polls, the voting percentage of the Congress Party was 8.47 percent, which increased to 18.25 percent in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. However, it must be noticed here that the BJP could only manage 17.50 percent votes in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. There also has been an increase in the number of seats. Overall, it can be said that the Congress is at the moment not on the margins, but on the main battlefield.
So far in the 2012 assembly polls, the Congress Party is weaving the framework for its election strategy with utmost care and caution. Rahul Gandhi lured the voters' from the farming community through his visits to Bhatta Parsaul, where he heard the grievances of the villagers and stood for their rights. Moreover, there has been a realization in the minds of the Muslim voters that only the Congress can protect their interests. Congress is at the moment leaving no stones unturned in attracting the backward and Dalit voters in Eastern and Central Uttar Pradesh. The Brahmin voters are now once again eyeing upon the Congress and as far as the Rajput voters are concerned, they are disillusioned with the Samajwadi Party. It will be now worth seeing that to which political outfit do they support in the near future.
The Congress has strengthened its position in Western Uttar Pradesh by joining hands with Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The manner in which Rahul Gandhi has been establishing public relations with the youth in Central Uttar Pradesh will definite help in getting a helping hand. There will be around 53 lakh youth voters this time, who will exercise their voting rights for the first time. These voters, who were born after the demolition of the Babri Masjid have high hopes from Rahul Gandhi.
In addition to this, the invasion of the Congress so far has been very sharp. The popularity of both Rahul and Priyanka is on test this time. It is quite difficult to say at the moment whether the Congress will be able to form a government on its own. But even if the Congress emerges as a kingmaker, it will not be wrong to say that this will be a very big achievement for the party. By Pankaj Choudhary (ANI)
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