As canvassing in the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll 2012 gathers momentum, the political rivalry between young leaders of two major parties is reaching a crescendo. The run-up to the seven-phase elections spread over the next two months have come as an occasion for Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Singh Yadav to prove themselves as the heir apparent of their powerful political families. Not surprisingly, it has evoked curiosity among analysts and the media.
The upcoming poll has given an opportunity to the two youth leaders to prove their mettle and grow in stature in their respective parties and the national political firmament. The senior Gandhi (Sonia) and Yadav (Mulayam Singh Yadav) are seemingly passing on the baton to their next generation and have apparently receding to the background of electoral humdrum for the sons to battle it out in the country’s political hotbed. The success in their party in the polls in UP, where efforts are in full swing to oust present chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati, would install either of them as a clear galvaniser of youth power and votes in the most populous state, which has 403 assembly and 80 parliamentary constituencies spanning 75 districts.
Rahul, 41, who represents Amethi in Parliament, is credited for the Congress’ good show in the 2009 Lok Sabha poll in UP, wherein the party improved its state tally to 21. If the grand old party revisits this success and emerges from the shadows in 2012 poll, the Congress will acquire centrestage in the state polity after nearly two decades — and the Nehru-Gandhi would re-emerge stronger. The poll results would also prove whether Rahul is a deserving heir apparent than just the beneficiary of the dynastic politics. While, Rahul has been at the forefront of Congress’ election campaigns in the United Progressive Alliance regime even during its first sting, the present UPA-2 has seen him getting groomed as a prospective prime ministerial candidate, what with several top party leaders endorsing him for the post.
Similarly, Akhilesh, a Lok Sabha member from Kannauj and three years younger to Rahul, has already taken over as the state president of the SP — the fiefdom of his father, former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akhilesh has been growing in stature within the party ranks and file.
That Akhilesh would bear the political legacy of Mulayam in future is clear from a recent incident, where senior SP leader Mohan Singh was sacked as the party’s spokesperson for taking a stand in variance to that of the young leader over the issue of inducting D P Yadav into its fold. Besides, the party manifesto bears the signature of Akhilesh what with the SP talking of giving laptops/tablets to students passing standard X and XII. The success in UP poll would further entrench the leadership of Akhilesh as the tallest SP leader after Mulayam, also an ex-union minister. The SP currently has 88 seats in the UP assembly, and is desperate to come back after being voted out of power in 2007 by the Bahujan Samaj Party over bad law and order situation.
Over the past weeks, Rahul and Akhilesh have undertaken a rigourous campaign trail in UP tying to garner support of the electorate, especially youth, by talking about employment and development. Both don’t shy at taking swipe at each other—at personal and political levels.
The seven-phase UP poll would be held on February 8, 11, 15, 19, 23, 28 and March 3.
The counting of votes would be held on March 6.
