A series of rallies and senior Congress leaders including state chief ministers camping in Rae Bareli is testimony of the grand old party's relentless drive to ringfence its bastion. The Congress stronghold of Rae Bareli votes on May 20 and Rahul Gandhi is up against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh. Going by the reading of the public mood, the contest is a non-starter with the Gandhi scion being comfortably placed to secure a big win.
However, senior Congress functionaries and party workers have termed the contest as one which is being led and driven by party workers. "The campaign making a big departure from 2019 has focussed on collective leadership. Party workers have taken it upon themselves to lead and drive a campaign that will ensure a record mandate for Rahul Gandhi," opined several Congress leadership who are camping in the crucial seat of Rae Bareli.
How campaign 2024 is different from 2019
Dr. Neeta Mishra, Vice Chairperson, Vichar Vibhag, AICC, speaking to Moneycontrol observed that three key markers differentiate the Congress campaign in 2024 from 2019. "First and foremost the camping this time is led and driven by workers. Workers are more enthused and sense a victory by a big margin. The energy among the workers are unparallel. Secondly, the formal alliance with the Samajwadi party has also reinforced the campaign. The combined rallies of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav is beginning to have its effect and I am sure that it will yield huge electoral dividend," said the senior Congress functionary.
Dr. Mishra, who is overseeing the grand old party's campaign in Rae Bareli underlined that the Bharatiya Janata Party's decision to allow Dinesh Pratap Singh to have a re-run in 2024 has also contributed greatly to renewed enthusiasm among the workers.
"Mr. Singh's doesn't have a clean image in the area. The public perception will certainly favour the Congress. Decades of good work, reflected through development is being compared with exercises that are anti-people and anti-poor. This will certainly play a decisive role in the eventual electoral results," stated the Congress in-charge for Rae Bareli.
How the formal tie-up with SP has bolstered Congress
Dr. Mishra, commenting on the alliance said the SP-Congress alliance will surely weave its magic this time around. It may have failed to take off in the 2017 assembly elections, but in the high-profile seats of Rae Bareli and Amethi the workers of the two parties are working as a team on the ground to ensure victory of INDIA bloc candidates, which are essentially Congress candidates.
This time both the groupings have ensured that they penetrate down the organisation and deliver a clear message to the masses via its organisational work.
Samajwadi Party's Rae Bareli district chief, Virendra Yadav, recalled how earlier there had been tacit understanding in Lok Sabha polls in Rae Bareli and Amethi in favour of Congress candidates but the situation is very different in 2024 with "declared alliance". This "declared alliance" is also aiding in creating more enthusiasm among the workers.
Why a landslide mandate is crucial for Rahul
Dr. Mishra, emphasising on the importance of a landslide mandate for Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli said it will enable him to show that beside the bad press and negative campaign against him, he still has the electoral might to emerge victorious by a record-margin.
"This is a crucial battle for the Gandhi scion, especially at a time when the Congress is looking at him for the much-needed leadership at a time when India's institutions are under attack," stated Dr. Singh.
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