Sowing Vote Seeds

Visiting temples and wooing farmers with the promise of loan waivers are just two of the tactics that might pay off for the Congress in the Assembly polls.

- Mudit Mathur

The Congress Party is full swing in poll mode in Uttar Pradesh, the state from which it was thrown out of power 27 years back. It is making a concerted effort to re-emerge on the political map in a big way with strategic changes in its election campaign.

Basically, the party’s traditional vote bank fell apart due to communal and caste divisions that surfaced in the aftermath of ‘Mandir-Mandal’ politics, polarising the people and bringing forces for social change to power.

Recently, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visited the temple town of Ayodhya, offering prayers at Hanumangarhi temple but staying away from disputed shrines. It was the first time after the 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid that any Congress leader came to this place. This gave rise to speculation that party could adopt the approach of soft Hindutva — but Rahul put it at rest by visiting all other religious places to establish his secular credentials.

The party has reposed faith in its old guard by introducing a Brahmin face, Sheila Dikshit, as its chief ministerial candidate to consolidate its core supporters who have deserted the party and found shelter in BJP and BSP. Those who joined the BJP have been feeling suffocated after being cornered since Modi supporters took the reins of the party.