Page 15 - 31MAY2019E

general elections

ment’s failures in delivering on the 2014 promises
and the grand old party’s main poll plank of justice for
all highlighting the lack of jobs, suffering small busi-
nesses and widespread rural distress.
“In 2004, then party chief Sonia Gandhi lead a
nationwide campaign based on social welfare to
deflate the BJP’s India Shining propaganda...the result
was for all to see...the story will repeat itself in 2019 as
the Modi government has paid only lip service to rural
India,” said a senior AICC functionary.

The Congress, which had won 145 seats in 2004,
could be close to that range this time, he claimed
citing an internal assessment after five rounds of
polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The BJP
was close behind with 138 seats in 2004 but the Left
parties with 60 seats support-
ing the Congress from outside
tilted the balance in favour of
the grand old party. Riding on  Congress had
the successful run of UPA I, the shown a spirit of
Congress tally went up to 206 in being accommodative
the 2009 national polls only to to the aspirations of
come crashing down to just 44 the regional parties
in 2014. and will make space
Party insiders said senior for them wherever
needed, believe
leader and star campaigner political strategists
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s
comments of having fielded
candidates in UP to help the
gathbandhan wherever the
Congress did not have a strong candidate should be
seen in the light of the opposition parties working to
a plan to keep the BJP at bay. Citing the grand old par-
ty’s sacrifice in offering the post of chief minister in
Karnataka to much smaller JD-S, the Congress strat-
egists said they had shown a spirit of being accom-
modative to the aspirations of the regional parties
and will make space for them wherever needed. But
at the same time, Rahul’s decision to join the fight in
UP even at the cost of making the contest there three
cornered stemmed from a deep desire to revive the
party nationally.
Commenting on the reports that the regional out-
fits may this time come together to keep the national
parties away, party sources said there was nothing
wrong in harbouring such aspirations in a federal
system but the longevity of such formations was
always a matter of doubt and may not augur well for
the country’s progress.
In the same breath, they reiterated that every-
thing would depend on the actual numbers available
on May 23 when the Indian electorate would have
spoken their mind.
letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 31 may 2019 15 www.Tehelka.com