Asked at the gathbandhan presser if “Behenji’ will be Prime Minister, cyclist Akhilesh Yadav tarried for pregnant five seconds and then dodged the elephant in the room with this nugget: “Uttar Pradesh has given many prime ministers to India.” That places ‘Akhi’ also a contender. But then he’ll be going round in circles in the velodrome if Uncle Shivpal Yadav puts a spoke in his wheels, which the uncle is inclined to.

Mayawati and Akhilesh will keep the billion rupee question hanging till after results are declared just so that captive vote-banks don’t split away to deprive the other caste Prime Minister. Such are the pitfalls of caste-gathbandhans. That said, it’s ‘Waka Waka’ for Prime Minister and you can throw Mamata Banerjee and Nitin Gadkari in the lottery. For the opposition it is ‘Waka Noka’ for Narendra Modi. To the BJP it’s ‘Waka Noka’ Rahul Gandhi.

Mayawati held a birthday presser Tuesday. The birthday cake was missing but she read out what can be called “didn’t mince her words” to spell doom for Narendra Modi, not missing in the mincing to convey to Rahul Gandhi that he’s ‘Waka Noka’ outside Amethi and Rae Bareilly. So, please don’t put the straying shoes on. News swirling in the cold corridors of Uttar Pradesh is that Congress will contest all 80 UP seats.

Add another para to the narrative: Modi counts his battle is not with the UP-gathbandhan but with Congress. Addressing BJP workers at a national convention event in Ramlila Maidan, Modi singled out ‘Naamdar’ for special mention. He drew battle-lines for 2019 and without naming Rahul placed the stubble-cheeked gathbandhan-reject on the enemy’s war elephant. Mayawati doesn’t get that left-handed endorsement. BJP workers will take the message to Uttar Pradesh.

Modi also made 2019 general elections sound like Good vs. Evil battle. Maybe, it had to do with venue. And coming from the horse’s mouth, it did not escape anybody who’s tested steed and who’s prancing stallion! Modi wants to Congress-Mukht Bharat, not play snakes-and-ladder with Mayawati. He tried to remove the stain of Rahul’s ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ with “family’s corruption-legacy” even as Rahul Gandhi took ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ to Dubai.

Modi painted the Gandhi Family ‘evil’, saying it behaves as if every institution is at its beck and call. He contrasted the Gandhis’ refusal to heed agency summons with his own willingness as Gujarat Chief Minister to testify to SIT the whole nine-yard! And while placing Rahul in the crosshairs, Modi laughed away the ‘mahagathbandhan’ as a “comical sideshow” not worth his time.

It will gall Mayawati that she does not even get wildcard entry to 2019 PM-stakes. And Rahul Gandhi is not going to endorse the lady with the handbag for Prime Minister. The 2019-Rahul is not 2014-Rahul. More assured, he has found his thinking-cap! And he walks like he owns the ground, right down to the grassroots.

Mayawati said at gathbandhan presser that Congress votes do not transfer and therefore no admission to gathbandhan. Now, Congress can take that to town and contest all 80 seats. The Congress must surely have its own Dalit and Yadav to vote-bank on. Besides, this is Lok Sabha elections and voters will vote to elect a stable national government not a Bua-Bhatija time-pass dispensation.

That said, the ‘gathbandhan’ is catalyst for things to fall in place. Is there grassroots gathbandhan? People are thinking national and ‘Prime Ministerial’ is template. Rahul Gandhi expressed desire to be PM in Karnataka months ago. Friday last Modi chose him prime adversary with ‘dynasty’ and other nasty innuendo. Mayawati Tuesday took to task both BJP and Congress, not mincing words.

Missing from the starting block is Mamata Banerjee. But she can be counted to be ‘On Your Marks, Get Set And Go’ as soon as the Starter’s Pistol cracks. Point is to elect Prime Minister – Waka Waka Prime Minister! With elephant and lotus and cycle and maybe Trinamool’s Johra Ghas Phul to go with the sentiment. (IPA Service)