Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds more rallies than Rahul Gandhi and if it works for the Congress in Karnataka, she is likely to be used more aggressively in the 2024 elections. (Getty)
If the Congress wins, the victory will be used to justify the argument of Rahul Gandhi and his supporters that he was targeted to mirror the BJP.
Now, normally, state elections need not have an impact on national elections. There have been instances when the BJP lost all the state elections but won the central elections and vice versa with the Congress.
While it cannot be denied that the Karnataka elections are equally crucial and crucial for the BJP, given that it is the only southern state that is in power for the Congress, it is a do or die situation. There are many reasons why the Karnataka result is central to the Congress’s existence.
First, the Bharat Jodo Yatra had political implications, whether the Congress believed it or not, and despite its denials. The most successful and longest stop of the yatra was Karnataka. And with the election so close, the success of the Yatra will also be tested on the day of counting. During this visit, Rahul Gandhi experimented with the idea of showcasing the joint leadership of DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. This show of unity will also be tested if the Congress wins the election and the chief minister has to be decided.
The other Gandhi who will be tested is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He did more rallies than Rahul Gandhi and his roadshows attracted people’s attention. In fact, whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, Priyanka was given the responsibility of directly confronting him. So, if it works for the Congress here, Priyanka is likely to be used more aggressively in the 2024 elections. It will also cash in on the perception about Priyanka that she has a poor report card as a leader and campaigner.
vocal for local
It’s an experiment that worked in Himachal Pradesh – focusing only on local issues and giving promises or guarantees to the local people. An example of this is the women of Himachal as well as the old pension scheme that the party works for in the hill state. Congress has copied it a lot in Karnataka as well. From free bus travel for women to money in women’s accounts and jobs, the Congress seems to have a winning formula. In fact, it has started giving similar guarantees in Madhya Pradesh as well. These guarantees are a replica of the successful food security scheme and the Congress hopes to recreate the magic.
Disqualification changed?
Sources say that Rahul Gandhi was advised by party colleagues to refrain from raising the issue of Adani and hence focused on the slogan of corruption or ‘40% commission government’ in the state. But if the Congress wins, the victory will be used to justify Rahul Gandhi and his supporters’ argument that he was targeted to hold the BJP in the mirror. While the legal battle may take some time, his political battle is half won.
It will also bring back the mojo in a party that has been battered by losses, exits and infighting. A win is also significant as party president Mallikarjun Kharge has held the maximum number of rallies at the age of 82.
A victory will set the wheels in motion for the upcoming state elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Victory is no longer a matter of choice for the Congress – it is a matter of do or die.
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