Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh has described Rahul Gandhi as a ‘shatir’ (skilled) ‘shatranj ke khiladi‘ (chess participant) whereas saying the occasion’s resolution to area him from Raebareli. The choice to forego Amethi and go for Raebareli is being projected because the masterstroke of a grandmaster. Raebareli, which elected his grandfather, grandmother, and mom to Lok Sabha a number of phrases since 1952, is seen as a secure wager for Rahul Gandhi in comparison with neighbouring Amethi, the place he misplaced to Smriti Irani in 2019 after being its MP for 3 phrases.
Shatranj Ke Khiladi, a 1924 classic quick story by Munshi Premchand, portrays the nineteenth century’s decadent feudalism in Awadh (Raebareli is within the Awadh area). In 1977, the yr Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi at Raebareli, maestro Satyajit Ray produced an epic film based mostly on the story. The movie was shot in Lucknow whereas the Lok Sabha election was on; it was launched quickly after.
The current state of the elite of the Indian Nationwide Congress is probably mirrored in Premchand’s story, which confirmed how the higher strata of Awadh was extraordinarily self-centred, oblivious of the truth on the bottom.Â
The story centred round two Nawabs of Lucknow who engaged themselves in checkmating one another whereas the British took over the reins. The self-destruction of the ruling class was poignantly portrayed by Premchand.
The eleventh-hour announcement of Rahul Gandhi’s candidature within the early hours of Could 3 ended hypothesis over the prospect of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra getting into the ballot fray. It’s stated that she herself was not eager to contest. Her husband Robert Vadra, alternatively, had expressed his want to throw in his hat greater than as soon as in latest days, insisting it was fashionable demand that he ought to contest. The Congress by no means commented on his claims. On Could 3, Vadra accompanied his spouse to Raebareli and was a distinguished face of the Rahul Gandhi entourage, which included Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Ashok Gehlot too was current. No distinguished face of the INDIA bloc accompanied Rahul Gandhi when he filed his nomination.
The dominant ally of the bloc, Samajwadi Social gathering (SP), and its staff welcomed Rahul however its consultant was absent when he filed his papers, not like the President of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), who had accompanied him in Wayanad.
In Wayanad, Congress had requested IUML, whose flag resembles Pakistan’s flag, to maintain its commonplace away from the pre-nomination highway present. On IUML’s insistence, Congress flags have been additionally saved away. Each Congress and SP flags have been displayed in Raebareli, although there was no highway present. Akhilesh Yadav, on whose insistence the Gandhi household entered the competition from UP, was busy campaigning elsewhere. Greater than the INDIA bloc, Akhilesh Yadav is eager on projecting his PDA (Pichhda-Dalit Alliance).
The BJP was fast to gibe that Rahul Gandhi had shied away from Amethi, the place Gandhi household loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma, a former confectionary store proprietor from Ludhiana who had been a constituency supervisor in Amethi-Raebareli for 4 many years, has been fielded. Addressing a rally in Bengal’s Bardhaman, Narendra Modi echoing Rahul Gandhi’s clarion, “Daro mat (do not be scared)”, added, “Bhago mat (do not scoot)”.
The selection of Sharma may be seen from two views. One, the Gandhi household rewards its loyalists. Maybe the related perspective is that after three jolts-in Ahmadabad East, Surat, and Indore – the place occasion candidates switched to the BJP making the competition irrelevant, Sharma was the most secure wager. Apparently, no distinguished dependable face was obtainable throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh to be entrusted with the duty of unseating Rahul’s bete noire, Smriti Irani.
Rahul’s legendary aloofness was all too obvious. Normally, a distinguished candidate approaches the Returning Officer’s podium to file his papers, accompanied by a posse of native leaders in addition to nationwide faces and a lawyer. Rahul abruptly walked as much as the rostrum and handed in his nomination. Then he appeared round to seek out that his crew was nowhere. Sonia Gandhi slowly walked up, adopted by Mallikarjun Kharge, who was helped by Robert Vadra. Priyanka made up the remainder of the crew. Ashok Gehlot was saved away. So have been leaders of the UP Congress.
Rahul Gandhi, often prolific in his jibes on the BJP whereas interacting with the media, prevented the Press altogether. He didn’t subject an announcement explaining why he had opted for Rae Bareli whereas abandoning Amethi. He did not go to Amethi even as soon as after the 2019 shock. He flew off to Pune after submitting his papers. Priyanka dealt with the media in Amethi and Raebareli.
In Wayanad, Rahul had described the constituency as his ‘dwelling’. His candidature from Raebareli has induced misery within the Kerala constituency, which voted on April 26. Voters there could marvel if the MP they elected in 2019 – whilst he misplaced Amethi – will stay with them if he wins each seats.
Rahul’s nomination from Raebareli after he had completed together with his Wayanad marketing campaign exhibits that the Election Fee’s resolution of a seven-phase election could not have been skewed in opposition to the pursuits of the Opposition in any case. The phase-wise schedule enabled Rahul, the one candidate who’s contesting two seats in 2024, to marketing campaign in Wayanad as a ‘native’ after which search votes in Rae Bareli, the place nominations started after polling led to Wayanad.
Congress occasion’s intransigence is writ massive within the Raebareli saga. Mallikarjun Kharge had stated the occasion may have a ‘shock’ candidate in Raebareli, the lone UP seat gained by the Congress in 2019. With Sonia Gandhi choosing a Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan in view of her well being, the demand for a Gandhi representing the household bastion had reverberated.Â
Jairam Ramesh, whereas swatting away questions on Priyanka not contesting, stated she was wanted to marketing campaign elsewhere. Priyanka has undoubtedly emerged as Congress occasion’s star campaigner, who replies to each fusillade of the BJP with alacrity. Nonetheless, her assertion on Could 3 at Amethi that she is going to transfer in together with ‘her household’ to this area from Could 6 to marketing campaign for Sharma places a query mark on Jairam Ramesh’s assertion.
One after the opposite, half a dozen spokespersons of Congress have abandoned ship in latest days. Rohan Gupta did so after being nominated as Lok Sabha candidate from Ahmedabad East. Gaurabh Ballabh, a former Professor of the area of interest Xavier Labour Analysis Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur, has been carrying many tales concerning the Congress within the media since he joined the BJP. One story is that on March 29, 2014, after the BJP swept the sweepstakes, Jairam Ramesh had stated {that a} chief should retire on reaching the age of 70. He turned 70 on April 9 final month.
Campaigning for 2024 enters its remaining part now. Attrition from Congress and accretion to BJP ranks has marked this election. Dinesh Pratap Singh, Rahul’s BJP rival in Raebareli, was a distinguished Congress face within the area until 2018. A yr later, he contested from the BJP in opposition to Sonia Gandhi, decreasing her conventional victory margin considerably.
The selection of Raebareli for Rahul Gandhi could also be seen as a masterstroke by some. The ramifications for each Raebareli and Wayanad after the outcomes are introduced on June 4 may have a far-reaching impression.
(Shubhabrata Bhattacharya is a retired editor and a public affairs commentator)
Disclaimer: These are the private opinions of the writer
