Rahul Gandhi’s stance on abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A will go a long way in deciding the party fortunes this Maharashtra election. As many as 132 urban constituencies in the state allegedly have a strong feeling in favour of the abrogation.
Bengaluru: Almost a year back, the then president of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi was a picture of absolute self-confidence. And why not? The Congress had done considerably well in three states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Under his stewardship, the Congress had managed to topple the robust BJP in three states.
In the days after the announcement of the results and chief ministers for all the states being announced, Rahul Gandhi’s roadmap for the Lok Sabha elections that would take place in four to five months then on was crystal-clear.
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He wanted everyone to believe that he had the acumen in him to take the party forward. His coterie also nodded its head in approval. But the day the Lok Sabah results were announced, Rahul Gandhi had to convince himself the three victories in which BJP ruled were more of political fatigue and not owing to his charisma.
As he resigned, unable to digest the humiliating failure in the general elections, he understood it takes more efforts than just calling the Prime Minister “chor”. He even apologised in the supreme court as he dragged it too into the issue.
Now, with the elections in Maharashtra and Haryana less than a month away, Rahul Gandhi, though not having the reins of the party president, will be hoping against hope that the two states will go the same way as MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
In fact, it is his mother who is at the helm of affairs and the Congress party is struggling to take on a politically rampaging BJP.
Masters at creating phenomenal strategies, Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are building the Maharashtra election platform on the abrogation of 370 and 35A articles. As many as 130 urban seats in Maharashtra do have strong feelings in favour of the abrogation.
As BJP tries to woo voters based on the abrogation, Rahul Gandhi has opposed it, thereby having a great chance of creating a vexed mood in these constituencies. Interestingly, Deepender Hooda, a Haryana Congress leader has also supported the abrogation.
Will Rahul Gandhi change his take on the issue days before the elections?
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