Rahul blows poll bugle in UP, defends Sheila as Cong's CM face

Blowing the poll bugle in election- bound Uttar Pradeh, Rahul Gandhi today defended anointment of Sheila Dikshit as party's chief ministerial face on the ground of her "experience" and gave a lesson on discipline to party workers.
A day after lobbing "Arhar Modi" jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over spiralling prices, Rahul in a first of its kind interaction with party's district, block and booth level workers on a ramp, responded to their random questions, an idea mooted by poll strategist Prashant Kishor.
On being asked whether Dikshit was fit to be Congress' CM candidate because of her advanced age, Rahul remarked that people in Delhi were now appreciating her as she had changed the face of the national capital.

"People say though the earlier (government) used to work, now it is mere drama going on...MLAs are going to jail...Thinking is more important than age...Though youth is essential for energy, experience is also necessary," he said in a bid to silence the criticism over Dikshit's candidature.
Rahul said, "Various parties have come to power in UP during the last 27 years. Some made people fight on Hindu-Muslim lines, some others ... But none talked about the state's development. There was a time when UP was in the forefront. It will once again take the number one slot."
Replying to a question on groupism in the party and how he will check it, Rahul was quick to say it can be overcome through discipline.

"We have given a team to UP and set a target that the party has to be taken to the number one spot...There is a consensus on what path has to be taken for it...Stern action will be take against whosoever works against it," he said.

To a question on critics within the party, Rahul said Congress was also an ideology, representing the ethos of the country, that was not just existing in UP but also in the entire nation and cannot be wiped out.
"Those (Congress) leaders who sit in AC offices in Delhi defame party and its workers...Leave them to me, I will take care of them," he said.

Moving freely up to the workers who braved a heavy downpour before his arrival, Rahul told them that Congress will encourage dedicated workers and they will get priority in ticket allocation for the coming polls.
Agreeing to a suggestion to hold 'Janata Darshan', he said leaders will go and spend 20 to 25 days in the field and party will encourage workers who will be seen among the people.
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Criticising the law and order situation in the state, Rahul said police stations have been made offices of political parties and alleged that the industry cannot come up in the state as one party (BSP) was encouraging corruption and the other (SP) 'goondagardi' (hooliganism).

"Why will the industry come to UP. There will be no power supply. Generation has remained static since 1989 (when Congress was last in government). Neither BJP, nor elephant (BSP) has worked on it...And cycle (SP) does not work on power," he said.
Though he praised Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as a "theek ladka" (sensible man), he said the CM did not give the people what they had aspired for while voting him to power.
Congress is in political wilderness for nearly three decades in the state, once its favourite hunting ground, and today's 'UP Udghosh' was aimed at reviving the party's electoral fortunes ahead of the crucial Assembly polls.

Rahul voiced confidence that his party will come to power in the state for which, he said, Congress workers should make people aware of the party's policies and programmes by staying united and "transcending barriers of groupism and petty rivalry".
Posters carrying the slogan "27 saal, UP behaal" dotted the city's thoroughfares while welcome arches were set up on the road from the airport to the venue -- Rama Bai ground -- where a massive ramp was erected to enable the Congress Vice- President to connect directly with a large audience.
This was the first major interactive session of Rahul after he along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi launched the party's election campaign by flagging of the "27 saal, UP behaal" yatra earlier this month from New Delhi.

The new team of the party in the state led by UPCC chief Raj Babbar, national general secretary incharge on the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sheila Dikshit and Sanjay Sinh was present during the interaction.