Rahul Gandhi And Uttar Pradesh

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today held a very tactical press conference in Varanasi, hours ahead of the end of the election campaign for the first phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, where stake is very high for the projected--but-disinterested future prime minister of India for Congress party. The press briefing was on expected lines with expected answers but with a renewed anger on display. This apart, today's press conference has four meanings, as I have perceived.

One, Rahul Gandhi has conceded defeat of his party in the upcoming polls just ahead of the first phase of voting. He categorically admitted that he is now focused on the 'course' and not on the result of the assembly elections. It is like accepting that his party stands no chance of forming a government in the state, as being predicted by all the poll pundits and much contrary to Congress's and his own tall claims of returning to power in Lucknow. Today's press conference may work in favour or may hamper his chances more than ever. It could be his last ditch to make an appeal to the voters that he is genuinely concerned about the progress of Uttar Pradesh, but his party can't muster majority in the present political scenario. Anyways, it's a defeat conceded by the commander of the Congress party.

Second, Rahul Gandhi seemed to be closing the doors of an alliance with either the BSP or the SP post-poll. He accused both these parties and also the BJP of providing 'criminal' governance in Uttar Pradesh in past two decades. Should his come to a pass of forging an alliance with either of the SP or BSP, he will have to eat his words, which Rahul Gandhi has not done till date. But, it also leaves Congress in a possible dilemma as to what it would do if BJP gets enough seat to tilt balance in anyone's favour. Will the Congress extend outside support to either the SP or the BSP, should it intends to keep the BJP at bay?

Third, Rahul Gandhi termed BJP a non-existing force in UP. For any political observer, it is too far fetched even to comment on the statement. But, Rahul Gandhi's soaring temper during the press conference while dealing with questions concerning the BJP was more than apparent. Was it an anger resulting due to frustration, that the BJP-led opposition handed over to the Congress in Parliament over the Lokpal Bill? He accused LK Advani of only touring in the name of corruption and not acting. He also challenged Advani and Co that he would get a constitutional Lokpal enacted by Parliament whether they like it or not. But, Rahul Gandhi is wise enough to understand that until his party gets a majority in UP, he can't have his way in the Rajya Sabha and thus the constitutional Lokpal may not be a reality. So, his renewed anger at the BJP, which is according Rahul Gandhi non-existent in UP, may have its source in the Lokpal fiasco.

And, fourth, Rahul Gandhi evaded the question on black money but focused on black flags to hit out at Baba Ramdev, who is obviously not a political force. Does Rahul's outburst at Ramdev signal a bigger trouble for the yog merchant? Only time will tell.

Vote Against Congress, if.... : Anna

After having taken on the cetral government with his hunger strike in new delhi recently, anti-graft activist Anna Hazare now goes political. He has appealed to people in all the poll bound states to vote against congress if the Manmohan Singh government does not pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session. Team Anna has already begun to shape electioneering with a bypoll scheduled in Hissar in Haryana
on October 13th. Next in focus is Uttar Pradesh, where Anna will set up his camp three days before the date of voting. Other poll bound states of Uttarakhand, Goa, Gujarat and Punjab will also see a different kind of poll campaign by Team Anna.

Clearly, Anna Hazare made a bold statement again on Tuesday by challenging the UPA govt once again over Jan Lokpal Bill. His renewed threat to undertake another hunger strike should Parliament fails to enact the Janlokpal Bill will surely compound problems for already embattled UPA think tank.

The veteran Gandhian, who has become a national symbol against corruption, on Tuesday refuted all the charges of him siding with the right wing parties. He said that only people with vested interests level such allegations against him and his team.

And, much to the liking of the congress party, Anna hit out at the Narendra Modi government of Gujarat for putting IPS officer behind the bars for speaking against the chief minister in cases related to 2002 riots. He wished that judiciary should be allowed to settle the case.

Anna Hazare's renewed fight for a corruption free administration on Tuesday seems to cross the frontiers earlier understood by many political observers. On Tuesday in Ralegaon, Anna made it clear that politics over communal violence is also a form of corruption, that people must fight with all their might.