Why Rahul Gandhi Flopped, Akhilesh Yadav Didn't

Rahul Gandhi failed to compensate the political influence of his ill mother by creating a political image and a political connectivity of his own. Sonia is seen as the leader of the present while Rahul could have made his position stronger by establishing himself as the leader of the future, and UP was the best ground for this. His tendency to depend on political gimmicks rather than spelling out exciting visions and ideas for the future proved wrong this time. When the people wanted new ideas, faces and visions, all that Congress had to offer were the same old faces of Sonia, Priyanka and Rahul and their overstated promises.

Rahul paid heavily for his failure to form a social coalition which was the tactic of Indira Gandhi – a collision of Brahmins, Dalits and Muslims. Instead, the focus of his grant campaign was on the greatest crowd, trying to whoo the OBCs, MBCs and Jats who ever not the traditional Congress voters. Keeping its existing Brahmins base and attracting the Muslin community could have proved a winning combination for the Congress this time.

Rahul’s strategies and loose words from its leaders such as comments on President’s rule, Batla House issue, or 9 percent reservation for the Muslims cost the party dear. The Muslim quota controversy sent a wrong message to the Hindus and it backfired the Congress party, but helped the BJP.

Rahul should be appreciated for his readiness to accept the responsibility of this historic defeat in UP and he has made it clear that his fight will go on until he revives the Congress party in the state to come back to power some day in the future.