The surprise entry of Rahul Gandhi in Bhatta Persaul on mobike by hoodwinking police forces in the village has already unnerved chief minister Mayawati and her government.

Rahul Gandhi was the only politician who along with his colleague in AICC Digvijay Singh could enter the village unnoticed by the administration and spent day with farmers and their families.

The manner in which Rahul Gandhi managed to enter the village and addressed the farmers and took up their cause has also shocked the entire opposition parties trying to capitalize on the issue of framers agitation in view of 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

There was realisation in opposition parties too that cleverly Rahul Gandhi succeeded in taking lead over other rivals in winning the sympathy of farmers and making Congress as main beneficiary of the farmers agitations in time to come.

That is why opposition leaders like former BJP national President Rajnath Singh criticized Rahul Gandhi and alleged that Rahul Gandhi was deliberately allowed as part of secret understanding between Rahul and Chief Minister Mayawati.

The subsequent arrest of Rahul Gandhi in the night by Mayawati government also made him overnight hero in the eyes of farmers as well Congress workers all over the country. The Congress got political capital out of Rahul Gandhi’s assurance of taking up the problems of adequate compensation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The farmers of Bhatta Persaul also remember that Rahul Gandhi had last year visited Aligarh where local farmers of Tappal were agitating over proper compensation and had arranged their meeting with prime minister.

The protest over the arrest of Rahul Gandhi also brought Congress leaders and workers on the streets all over the state. The protest will help in galvanizing the party organization at a time when elections for UP Assembly are not far.

Samajwadi Party and BJP are also fighting in the state to give the impression that they can provide the alternative to Bahujan Samaj Party government which is facing attack all over the state for corruption and deteriorating law and order situation, but the incident of Bhatta Persaul had given edge to Rahul Gandhi and his party.

Chief Minister Mayawati also targeted Congress and its ‘yuvraj’ Rahul Gandhi. Mayawati said that “opposition parties are focusing on UP in view of forthcoming elections for state Assembly elections.

So much so Rahul Gandhi got support from unusual quarters when his cousin brother BJP MP Varun Gandhi said that people should not read much politics in Rahul Gandhi’s dharna in support of agitating villages. Predicting downfall of Mayawati government, Varun Gandhi also sought peoples support for framers agitating for better compensation.

Shaken by the success of Rahul Gandhi , chief minister Mayawati met senior leaders of party to formulate new strategy to reach out to farmers and convince them that her party was working in their interest.

As a part of damage control, Mayawati asked senior party leaders to rush to Gautam Buddhanagar, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra where farmers-police clashes took place in recent days.

BSP leaders have been asked to meet farmer’s leaders and inform them about the steps taken by the government in last four years in the interest of farmers. As a part of the strategy BSP workers have also been asked to hit back at Congress, SP and BJP,RLD and blame them for problems being faced by farmers.

Political commentator Dr Ramesh Dixit says that the visit of Rahul Gandhi in Bhatta Persaul and joining farmer’s agitation has boosted the image of Gandhi scion. It is a good sign that in UP Rahul Gandhi is seen joining the people’s agitations and moving beyond Rae Bareili and Amethi beside Bundelkhand where he recently visited.

Dr Dixit said that the visit of Rahul Gandhi and handling of situation by Mayawati government which opened firing on farmers will damage chances of BSP in next elections. (IPA Service)