Akhilesh Pratap Singh who has accompanied and worked with Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and Rae Bareili ever since Gandhi scion stepped into politics claimed that Rahul factor helped party in terms of gain in number of seats in 2009 Lok Sabha polls when the party got 22 seats and again in 2012 assembly polls when the Congress got additional four percent votes.

Congress leader claimed that youth would also vote for Congress as Rahul Gandhi had set the agenda for politics free from crime and corruption. Rahul will ensure that people with good image get Congress ticket this time, he added.

Akhilesh Pratap Singh said that youth of this nation had realized that while Narendra Modi was talking about communalism Rahul Gandhi was talking about inclusive politics and development. “Employment will be generated through development not through communal politics being perused by Narendra Modi and his party”, asserted Akhilesh Pratap Singh.

Talking about political scenario in UP, Singh said at a time when people of state were fed up of corruption, caste politics of regional parties including ruling Samajwadi Party and main opposition BSP and communal politics of BJP, voters were looking towards Rahul Gandhi .

But senior political analyst Rihan Ahmad said that Rahul factor will have marginal impact as he has not been able to connect with masses. At the same time Rihan said the speech of Rahul in Rajasthan was very emotional and forceful.

Rihan said that people could vote for Congress if Rahul Gandhi was able to convince voters about the promises to bring about major changes in governance which suffered during last six decades.

Talking about mood of the minorities, Rihan Ahmad said that Muslims would vote for Congress as the party was being perceived to be fighting BJP at national level. Rihan said that there was erosion in Muslim support from Samajwadi Party after series of communal riots in the state during last 18 months rule of Akhilesh Yadav.

But there are others who are keeping their fingers cross about possible impact of Rahul factor in UP during forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

People still remember as to how Rahul Gandhi damaged his party’s chances in the state when he tore the manifesto of Samajwadi Party into pieces in public meeting in Lucknow during assembly polls in 2012.

During his frequent visits to Amethi this correspondent felt that what could be more disturbing news for Rahul Gandhi is that he himself is not very comfortable in his own constituency.

Every time Rahul Gandhi visits his constituency he faces protests from his own voters as he fails to come up to the expectations of the local people regarding poll promises and development.

The voters of Amethi complain that there has been no change in the attitude of Rahul Gandhi’s managers in his own constituency even after huge losses for party in assembly polls when party lost in two assembly constituencies out of a total five. And the party could win in three assembly constituencies that too with very small margins. The party suffered due to great anti-incumbency working against party MLAs who took no interest in development.

There have been complaints that at a time when it was difficult to meet Rahul Gandhi his managers often asked for money to process their applications for genuine work.

So much so that even Priyanka Gandhi factor also failed in this region as party lost all the five assembly constituencies in assembly in Rae Bareili represented by Mrs Sonia Gandhi but looked after by her daughter.

Although Samajwadi Party has announced that it would not field any candidate against Mrs Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareili but there has been no similar announcement about Rahul Gandhi. The fact remains that Congress too had not fielded candidate against Mulayam, Akhilesh and his wife Dimple.

Rahul Gandhi is facing competition from young chief minister Akhilesh Yadav who is fulfilling his poll agenda of distributing laptops and kanya vidya dhan to attract youths. Gujarat CM Narendra Modi who is BJP candidate for prime minister’s post is also promising employment to youth who constitute major chunk of voters.

Congress mangers in state are also worried about the low turn out at Rahul Gandhi’s public meetings as compared to Gujarat CM Narendra Modi whose meeting in Kanpur was quite impressive. Samajwadi Party is also making good preparations for Mulayam Singh Yadav’s first election meeting in Azamgarh.

The political observers feel that that there is realization in Congress leaders and workers that Rahul factor alone may not work this time that is why there is a growing demand from all over the state to bring Priyanka Gandhi to campaign for party in all the constituencies and she should not restrict herself to Amethi and Rae Bareili. (IPA Service)