- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Thu, 06 Jun 2024 04:53 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Even though BJP has been swiftly moving forward for Modi 3.0 with the help of its allies, the whole country has been talking about Congress’ stunning comeback as the grand old party seems to have made inroads into its lost land across the country. Former Congress chief and the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, Rahul Gandhi, has emerged as the architect of this remarkable feat. The Congress party added 47 seats to its kitty, taking its count from 52 in 2019 to 99 in 2024. Though the INDIA bloc has conveyed that it will not stake claim to form the government, it has given a big jolt to the BJP as it will now have to survive at the mercy of its allies, who perhaps were missing from the political spectrum for over a decade now.
Rahul Gandhi Sheds 'Pappu' Tag Like A Pro:
Rahul Gandhi’s campaign in the Lok Sabha Polls 2024 indeed proved he had done away with his image of an immature and non-serious politician, an appellation BJP has been referring him with since the onset of his political career. The connection Rahul made with the public was one of a kind as he got a sense of the pulse of even the most overlooked and downtrodden sections across the country during his campaign spree. Congress’ impressive show in Uttar Pradesh shows how Rahul was brash and undaunted over the issues he raised.
At the very start of his campaign, the Congress leader lapped up the issues which attracted public ire for the BJP. From chiding Agnipath Scheme and promising to scrap it on forming the government to making the public believe the Modi government was working for the corporate sectors, Rahul left no stone unturned to take his poll campaign to a supreme level.
Moreover, Rahul, unlike his previous campaigns, was very vigilant and mindful while making his speeches. There were also occasions when he flagged financial implications on political promises and hasn’t just offhandedly given false hopes. When the BJP made several personal attacks on him and the Gandhi family, Rahul absorbed them without any retaliation. As the opposition's most prominent face, Gandhi has been a target of attacks from Modi and other BJP leaders, who often call him "the prince". The cult of Rahul, on the ground as well as on social media platforms, surged so fast that the entire campaign of BJP, led by Modi himself, was centred around him. These were instances when Modi dedicated a big chunk of his speeches to him.
Referring to Modi’s statements on resource distribution targeting minorities, Rahul said he was a messenger of love in the market of hatred. His firm stand on caste census and employment guarantee made him directly connect with the middle class.
The Yatra Effect:
Rahul Gandhi embarked on two cross-country marches against what he called Modi's politics of hate and fear, giving a big boost of enthusiasm to his Congress party and rehabilitating his own image. In a bid to rejuvenate the party cadre and spread the message of unity, Rahul covered a 4,080 km distance on foot during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. He started his journey from Kanyakumari at the southern tip of India to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The 150-day non-stop march covered 12 states and two Union Territories. The odyssey helped Rahul understand the pulse of people across the length and breadth of the area he covered. People from different spheres of life joined him throughout the journey.
Thereafter, the Congress leader began another foot march, this time from east to west. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, a sequel of Bharat Jodo Yatra, started from violence-hit Manipur to Mumbai. This yatra took place in the backdrop of Lok Sabha polls as part of Congress’ strategy. The march vehemently flagged issues of economic disparity, societal division, and an autocratic approach of the government.
Rahul walked over 6,200 km across 14 states in his 66-day-long journey. However, this journey was not entirely on foot owing to the time constraints. The journey encompassed 355 Lok Sabha seats, 236 of which were won by the BJP in 2019. The Congress had only registered victory in 14 seats. Now, the mammoth rise of the grand old party from the ashes shows how both the yantras proved game changers to sharpen the political savvy of Rahul Gandhi.
