CONGRESS ELECTORAL STRATEGY: PLAYING THE CASTE CARD

Some events indicated Congress' inclination towards caste-based politics, a departure from the practices of previous Prime Ministers and leaders in the party.

- AJIT MAINDOLA

The bugle of Lok Sabha election has been blown and both the major political parties, Congress and BJP are now playing their cards to woo the voters and making strategies to turn the tide in their favour. But it’s quite strange that Congress doesn’t seem to be in its best form. Congress neither seems to be campaigning aggressively nor has it said anything in the manifesto which would send the message that the contest is on an equal footing.

Everything seems to be formal. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi is somehow hoping the history of 2004 to be repeated.

He assumes that NDA will face the same fate as 2004 when ‘India Shining’ was the slogan, yet the confident NDA lost in elections. This time a slogan of 400 is being raised. So Rahul believes this time as well the result will be reverse of what is being expected. Congress thinks that caste based politics is an antidote to the religion based politics. Henceforth, NDA shall nowhere be close to majority. However, looking at the current situation and attitude of congress workers and leaders, this logic of Rahul Gandhi is beyond comprehension.