Congress leaders in the state are too shocked to react to the performance of party candidates in Lakhimpur Kheri and Nidhauli kalan assembly constituencies. Congress candidate Bharat Singh was placed third in Nidhauli kala where Samajwadi Party retained seat whose candidate Amit Gaurav defeated independent candidate Virendra Kumar who was supported by former BJP veteran Kalyan Singh,

In Lakhimpur Kheri too, Samajwadi Party retained its seat as party candidate Utkarsh Verma defeated Shashidhar Mishra of Peace Party by 17,589 votes.

Significantly, Congress candidate Saif Ali, son of sitting MP Zafar Ali Naqvi was not only placed fourth but also lost his deposit despite high profile campaigning by the top leaders of the party.

Senior leaders like Digvijay Singh, UPCC President Rita Bahuguna Joshi and CLP leader Prmod Tewari campaigned for Saif Ali at Lakhimpur Kheri. Union Ministers Sri Prakash Jaiswal, Jitin Prasad and film stars like Raj Babbar and Nagma also campaigned for Saif Ali but they could not improve the fortune of the party.

The problem before the party is that after initial success in Lok Sabha polls in 2009 when Congress got 21 seats in the state, a downward trend is the party in almost all by-elections held since then.

The first major shock came when Congress candidates lost deposit in six out of 11 by-polls for assembly seats in November 2009. All those leaders who made it to Lok Sabha could not ensure victory to party candidates in assembly seats vacated by them. Union Minister RPN Singh received jolt when his mother Mohini Devi lost in by polls at Padrauna assembly seat. Similarly in Jhansi also, Union Minister Pradip Jain could not save his seat as his candidate Anil Batta lost his deposit as well.

Union minister Jitin Prasad also could not ensure victory of party candidate in assembly by-poll held in his home town Shahjehanpur. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Jagdambika Pal also could not ensure victory to party candidate in Dumariaganj from where he is a sitting MP in Lok Sabha.

Only silver lining in the by-polls for Congress held since last assembly polls is victory of Shyam Kishore Shukla from Lucknow west who wrested seat from BJP whose candidate Lalji Tandon had been winning from there. The seat was vacated as Lalji Tandon got elected to Lok Sabha from Lucknow.

Another impressive victory for Congress was in Firozabad where Congress candidate Raj Babbar defeated Mulayam’s daughter-in-law Dimple whose husband Akhilesh Yadav had won from there in 2009 elections. The seat was vacant as Akhilesh Yadav had also won from Kannauj which he retained.

The problem before the political pundits is to whom they should blame for the loss of Congress which was expecting great revival of the party under the leadership of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi to capture power in the state

There is no doubt that young Rahul Gandhi has been visiting state frequently and spent time in Harijan basti and shared meal with them as well. He also visited Lucknow recently and interacted with Youth Congress workers and asked them to work hard to capture power in the state.

But for the party which is expecting great revival under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the defeat has come as a shock.

UPCC President Rita Bahuguna too has expressed her concern at loss in terms of votes in both the constituencies.

The biggest problem being faced by the party is infighting amongst state leaders who are gunning each other rather then fighting the opposition.

It is a known fact that UPCC president Rita Bahuguna and CLP leader Pramod Tewari cannot stand each other. Pramod Tewari too had staked his claim for UPCC president but party high command opted for Rita Bahuguna who was given second term.

People wonder why AICC president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi cannot bring about peace in the party and restore discipline to make way for struggle to capture power.

Senior party leaders feel that Rahul Gandhi will have to change his strategy for revival of party in UP fighting the challenge from BSP and SP.

What is needed for Rahul Gandhi is to spend more time in Lucknow and lead the agitation against Mayawati government. Then only people will have more faith in this young leader who is being perceived as future prime minister. (IPA)