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Will Mamata, Maya and The SP-BSP combine will probably back

Mayawati for prime minister in New Del-
Priyanka spoil party of hi, and Akhilesh Yadav for chief minister
in UP in the next 2022 state election. That
division of power will satisfy the ambi-
Modi-Shah-led BJP? tions of both. Their combined share in
the 2017 UP state election exceeded that
of the NDA in assembly seats adding up
to 57 of 80 parliamentary constituencies.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, joined the
Can three women leaders — Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati and struggle in January when the opposi-
Priyanka Gandhi — come between a clear win for Narendra Modi tion Congress party made her its face in
and Amit Shah-led BJP or will it be a fluke? bharat hiteshi analyses Uttar Pradesh. Tehelka editorial men-
tioned this reality that Priyanka Gandhi’s
the possible spectacle post performance of the three women leaders formal entry into politics and assertion
by Rahul Gandhi that the Congress will
hen West Bengal Chief proved that she is a leader who cannot not play on the back foot anywhere. It
Minister and firebrand be ignored. In 2014, when her party drew shows that the grand old party wants
leader, Mamata Ba- a blank and after the death of her men- to capitalise on the charisma that she
nerjee made a show tor, Kanshi Ram, political leadership had exudes. It also wants to capitalise on
W of strength at Parade written obituary of her party — Bahujan Priyanka’s resemblance to her grand-
grounds in Kolkata where 20 political Samaj Party (BSP). But she has emerged mother to encash upon Indira Gandhi’s
parties joined hands and subsequently like a phoenix riddle. enduring appeal.
her ‘dharna’ against the CBI, eliciting In fact, Mayawati is a contender for Rahul has done well in the recent past
support from most of the opposition par- prime minister. Her tie-up with Akh- but the party was still missing the ‘X fac-
ties, the message was clear that she has ilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party in Uttar tor’ which has been key to its previous
arrived on the political firmament. But Pradesh is a wake-up call for Congress, electoral victories. Priyanka has been
the big question remains. Will she be which was projecting Rahul Gandhi as ushered in to end that deficit. The para-
able to pose a serious challenge to Prime the prospective prime minister. Her solo chuting of Priyanka Gandhi into the 2019
Minister, Narendra Modi in 2019? Various fight in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and battlefield has caused a flutter with BJP
pre-general election surveys that sum up partnership with Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh president Amit Shah introducing a new
the mood of nation suggest that Modi still was a warning to the Congress. version of OROP or One Rank One Pen-
remains the tallest leader. Any “maha- Mayawati has partnership with Gow- sion targeting Congress president Rahul
gathbandhan” minus Congress may not das in Karnataka, Jogi in the Jharkhand, Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
cut much ice. Chautalas of the Indian National Lok Former Jammu and Kashmir CM
Another scenario suggests that three Dal in Haryana. In Uttar Pradesh, she Omar Abdullah retorted with the acro-
powerful women leaders-Mamata has alliance with Akhilesh Yadav and nym ODOMOS-Overdose of Only Modi
Banerjee, Mayawati, and Priyanka Gan- Ajit Singh leaving just two seats for the Only Shah. However, Priyanka has a stiff
dhi may come between a win and Nar- Congress. Her politics is unpredictable. challenge at hand. On the one side is the
endra Modi. These three women leaders One safe conclusion one can draw is that fully entrenched trios of Modi-Shah-
thus pose a big threat to the chances of with Mayawati joining hands with SP, the Yogi and on the other the formidable
Prime Minister Narendra Modi winning next election may not be Rahul Vs Modi SP-BSP-RLD. While the former has well-
a second term in Lok Sabha elections but Mamata, Mayawati vs Modi with Pri- oiled machinery to rely on, the latter has
2019 due by May. yanka Gandhi queering a pitch. By giving proved its mettle in two recent crucial
Mamata Banerjee, who defeated a 10 percent quota in jobs and higher edu- by-elections. Little doubt that this com-
34-year-old communist government cation to the upper caste poor months bine left just two seats of Rai Bareilly and
in West Bengal in an election in 2011, is before the next Lok Sabha elections, the Amethi for Congress, considering Con-
known for her streetwise political skills Narendra Modi government has played gress worthy of as many seats. For Pri-
and portrays herself as a secular leader a masterstroke that few among the yanka, it would not be an easy dynastic
in a country. opposition parties can criticise. transition but trial by fire. How the party
Then there is former chief minister When Mayawati rode to power in performs post-Priyanka’s entry would be
of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, who drew a Uttar Pradesh in 2007, she demanded watched with interest.
blank in 2014 general election. However, reservation in jobs for the poor belong- Will the shift in the Congress strategy
in recent elections in Madhya Pradesh, ing and her ploy of emerging as the upset applecart of Mayawati and Mama-
Rajasthan and Jharkhand, she has leader of all castes sailed her through. ta who were hoping to be major play-

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