Considered a novice two years ago, Rahul turns the tide in UP

Taken as a novice just over two years ago, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has turned the tide for his party in the most politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh by bringing it at par with the two major players in the state — BSP and Samajwadi Party.     

The ground work of two and a half years has paid off and the charishma of the young leader has been very much evident in these Lok Sabha elections as nine of the fourteen constituencies where Rahul Gandhi campaigned, besides his own Amethi, fell in Congress kitty.     

"There were some seats which were not being taken seriously even by the party leadership. These have fallen in the party kitty and though it would be wrong to say that it had been entirely because of Rahul's campaigning, his presence as also his plan to revive the party in the state made a clear impact", a senior party functionary told PTI on Sunday.     

Though leading the party campaign all over the country, Rahul had a multi-phased plan chalked out for revival of Congress in UP and was discouraged by the dismal showing by Congress in the 2007 Assembly elections.  

Rahul personally led the party electioneering from the front, addressing election meetings in 14 constituencies of which Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Gonda, Pratapgarh, Jhansi, Barabanki, Dhaurara, Bareilly and Moradabad were clinched by the Congress.

The revival of the party in the state is being termed by party functionaries as the right combination of party president Sonia Gandhi's personality coupled with leadership, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's policies and his incorruptible credentials combined with the atmosphere of youth and honesty brought by Rahul.     

Though the party is introspecting the reasons for their poor sow in some LS seats, Rahul feels that the real work in the state has just, Congress sources said.     

Asked how Rahul managed to cut ice this time after failing miserably in the 2007 Assembly elections, when he had also campaigned for Congress candidates, the sources said that the young leader had straight away ventured in campaigning and not indulged in party affairs.     

"Then, he was only a campaigner of the party and was not not involved in the party organisation but this time he is in know of the intricacies of the state politics", they said.     

"Rahul Gandhi has a clear cut plan for the party in the state on which he has moved on without wasting any time on the euphoric win," the source said.