Akhilesh-Rahul Juggernaut Gathers Steam in UP, Hits PM Modi Hard

MEERUT: “Tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Uttar Pradesh is a Pradesh of bhaichara (brotherhood), of mohabbat (love) and this cannot be broken. He comes here and spreads fear and hate, tell him that he cannot break our unity, he cannot divide us.”

Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Congress President Rahul Gandhi have launched a strong campaign against communalism, for secularism across the state. Both addressed yet another joint rally on Tuesday in Meerut, where PM Modi had spoken just a few days ago, and in a blistering attack to a big, and very enthusiastic audience, singled out the youth and the farmers as their specific targets for development.

The campaign is strong, it is getting wide coverage in the local media, and the crowds turning up to listen to the two young leaders are beyond expectation. For the first time since 2014 when PM Modi took UP by storm and won 72 Lok Sabha seats (covering 300 plus Assembly constituencies) the state is witnessing a strong against communalism and for development. Both the CM and Rahul Gandhi are mincing no words in attacking the BJP for dividing the people, and jointly urging the crowds not to fall prey to such lies and divisive politics.

The crowd in Meerut was mixed, largely young, and very supportive. The campaign speeches were short, to the point, and not addressing communities but focusing on the larger message of secular harmony and development. Amidst loud responses the two leaders attacked PM Modi for making “false promises” and played on the distress of demonetization that had taken lives in queues. The two young leaders also raised PM Modi’s promise of transferring Rs 15 lakhs to the jan dhan accounts, that is a sore point with the villagers of UP just as it was in Bihar.

The campaign has acquired a cutting edge, with both Rahul Gandhi and Alhilesh Yadav taking care not to repeat each others points, with communal harmony and development remaining the common broad themes. The Muslims have consolidated behind this campaign across almost the entire state. So have the Yadavs. The two account for just over 30 per cent of the votes.

In the Lok Sabha polls the Yadav youth in particular, fed up with Mulayam Singh in particular had moved in large numbers to vote for the BJP and PM Modi. This vote, according to reports from the state, has moved to back Akhilesh Yadav who is seen as a “doer” with any number of persons in Meerut speaking of the work he has done. What work? And pat came the answer from a mixed group of locals, “can’t you see, the roads and he is very sincere, he is working for us.” This, incidentally was a week ago before the campaign had gathered momentum in the area.

Meerut is a complicated city but the BJP vote is sullen as it has been hit by the adverse impact of demonetization that is visible all across the congested town; and by PM Modi’s failed promises. In fact one shopkeeper placed his hope on communal polarisation, saying that once the Muslims went one way, the others would go the other way. He was referring to the SP and BJP specifically. But it is not as simple as that this time around, as the disaffected vote is strong and vocal in its anger.

The warning not to allow the BJP to “break your unity” by the two leaders was timely. More so when they combined this appeal with specific measures that they hoped to take to generate employment and support small businesses to “Made in UP” strong and relevant.

The joint campaign is drawing attention and although only the ballot box will reveal the results, the response is positive. The Congress party is optimistic of making a major dent in the Brahmin vote with local leaders insisting that this community that was once the party’s traditional vote is again “looking at us favourably.” However, significantly the thrust of the joint campaign is to attract the youth and the farmers, and thereby cut across communties for support in the forthcoming elections, starting February 11.

The campaign is strong, it is getting wide coverage in the local media, and the crowds turning up to listen to the two young leaders are beyond expectation. For the first time since 2014 when PM Modi took UP by storm and won 72 Lok Sabha seats (covering 300 plus Assembly constituencies) the state is witnessing a strong against communalism and for development. Both the CM and Rahul Gandhi are mincing no words in attacking the BJP for dividing the people, and jointly urging the crowds not to fall prey to such lies and divisive politics.

The BJP is on the backfoot, the Opposition clearly in an aggressive mode. In Meerut Rahul Gandhi joined Akhilesh Yadav against Mayawati, with both saying she was going to lose the elections. The CM said that PM Modi had not spoken out against the BSP leader---in keeping with the fast spreading rumour now that she could ally with the BJp after the elections---and that “bua” as he used to refer to her had been left out of the BJP diatribe. However, the focus remained on PM Modi and the BJP but to give the two their due, the emphasis has been less on negativity and more on what they together have to offer UP.