The defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is the Congress’ first major setback since the UPA came to power at the Centre in 2004 and could compel the party to hold a “chintan shivir (brain-storming session)”.
According to well placed sources in the Congress, the controversial statements of some leaders in every phase of the seven-phase UP Assembly election — including on President’s rule, the Batla House encounter, 4.5 per cent reservation for minorities and Hindu terrorism — damaged the party’s prospects. Besides, the excess use of “managers” also went against us, they said. “If overconfidence led to our defeat in Punjab, Goa has always been a tricky election,” they said. Uttarakhand was a tough electoral battle, they conceded.
Asked whether the Assembly elections in five sates would have a bearing at the Centre, they said “it will not mainly because an alternative has not emerged. Where will they (regional players) go?”
But the Congress on Tuesday sought to take some credit for the SP’s victory in the UP polls. AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters the vote against the BSP in the polls showed this development clearly. “Rahul Gandhi has made immense contribution to creating an atmosphere against the misrule of Mayawati which ultimately benefited Mulayam Singh Yadav,” he said.
Besides, he said, Mr Gandhi fought a political battle in UP as against the Mulayam-Mayawati clash which was more “personal” in nature.