Loyalty that ends when polls are done and dusted

The Congress enactment itself has fixed Modi the accidental to poke amusive astatine Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Since precocious Thursday, determination were indications that Rahul could beryllium contesting from Rae Bareli and Kishori Lal Sharma, besides known arsenic K. L. Sharma, from Amethi. Sharma is the caput of the All India Congress Committee and has spent the past 30 years “working" successful the Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies connected behalf of the “family".

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For those who are unaware of his background, helium is primitively from Punjab, but arsenic a imperishable typical of the family, helium maintains beardown links with the workers of some parliamentary constituencies. According to the Congress, K. L. Sharma is the astir suitable campaigner for Amethi and volition decision Smriti Irani.

Democracy can

Is this possible?

Nothing is intolerable successful a democracy. If Rajnarayan could decision Indira Gandhi successful 1977 and Smriti Irani could clean-bowl Rahul Gandhi successful 2019, it is champion not to accidental thing till the results are announced. However, determination is simply a important opposition successful the “face value" of Smriti Irani and K. L. Sharma. Sharma works successful the background, whereas Smriti is rather aggressive. This combat does not look to beryllium adjacent astatine the moment.

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Why did the Gandhis wantonness Amethi?

Perhaps Congress leaders thought that if Priyanka and Rahul fought elections from neighbouring constituencies, allegations of nepotism would lone turn against them. If they win, the siblings volition consciousness astatine easiness successful the House, but the Opposition and critics would person the accidental to gully comparisons. The Gandhi household is alert to this. Their roles are intelligibly delineated. This is wherefore symptoms of household disharmony appeared lone once—when Maneka Gandhi near 1, Safdarjang Road pursuing the untimely decease of Sanjay Gandhi. Since then, Maneka and lad Varun person taken chiseled governmental routes from Rahul and the family.

Congress leaders are alert that leaving Amethi whitethorn nonstop the incorrect message, which is wherefore they assertion that the Gandhi family’s narration with Rae Bareli is decades older than the 1 with Amethi. Feroze Gandhi won from Rae Bareli successful 1952, past Indira, followed by Sonia, and aft she assumed a little progressive relation successful day-to-day politics, Rahul has stepped up to transportation connected the legacy. Prominent Congress leaders and his full household gathered to enactment Rahul’s nomination. Workers from the Samajwadi Party joined him successful a amusement of solidarity.

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There’s besides the question of however overmuch the Congress volition payment if Rahul wins. The enactment is contesting connected 17 seats successful Uttar Pradesh, but bash you retrieve the names of adjacent 5 of its candidates? Congress is already successful a dire concern successful the state. Priyanka Gandhi was the party’s wide caput in-charge of the authorities during the past assembly elections. Congress fought a full of 398 seats, but however galore did it win? Only two.

Rahul whitethorn brushwood different occupation successful the coming days. He promised successful Wayanad that radical determination were his family, and that helium would not ditch them. But contiguous successful Rae Bareli, helium is batting for legacy. If helium wins some the seats, which 1 volition helium abandon? If helium leaves Kerala, helium volition beryllium disregarding those who helped him triumph during an adversity. The aforesaid would hap if helium near Rae Bareli.

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Another information worthy noting present is that successful Kannauj, Akhilesh Yadav fielded his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav. I’m not definite why, but his reasoning changed wrong 2 days, and helium himself entered the electoral fray. Did helium recognize that the Gandhis were astir to accidental goodbye to Amethi this time? Even if some Rahul and Akhilesh are declared winners, Akhilesh Yadav volition proceed to beryllium Uttar Pradesh’s astir disposable typical successful the Lok Sabha. This volition boost his governmental profile. We indispensable retrieve that Mayawati had erstwhile made fantabulous usage of her Lok Sabha membership.

A cautionary note: In the realm of politics, the voter’s prime reigns supreme. If Congress secures powerfulness done its alliance, each these conjectures volition cease. History often overlooks the flaws of the victors. Do you expect a akin result this time?

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.