The Congress party is seeing a ray of hope after low voter turnout during the first phase of election. It is now keeping a keen eye on the second phase polling which will be held on Friday.
Now it will change its strategy and focus on selecting candidates with strong caste equation for the remaining seats. Under the new strategy, Congress will not only directly target Prime Minister Modi but will also attack BJP for ending reservation. Even on Thursday, Congress said that BJP wants to end reservation.
Encouraged by the first phase of voting, Congress is now keeping a special eye on the second phase of voting to be held on Friday. With this renewed vigor, the party has now decided to change the election strategy and fiercely corner BJP.
The party will now attack BJP further with aggressive election campaign with a new strategy. With a revitalized enthusiasm, the party plans to ramp up its electoral campaign, implementing a new approach to confront the BJP. Moreover, the decision on Rae Bareli and Amethi has also been left pending till the second phase of voting as Congress’s expectations have increased after the first phase of voting.
The Congress is hoping that the second phase of voting will set the tone for the elections ahead. Congress strategists believe that BJP has suffered a setback in the first phase of voting. This made BJP to redirect the election strategy to Hindu-Muslim. The Congress party is optimistic about securing significant representation from Hindi-speaking states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. As for the second phase, the Congress perceives a shifting atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh and other regions.
Consequently, the possibility of fielding the Gandhi family in both Rae Bareli and Amethi will be considered. While Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy in Amethi is certain, there remains suspense surrounding Priyanka Gandhi’s potential candidacy.
The party is currently grappling with a dilemma regarding the potential candidacy of both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in the upcoming elections.
There are two conflicting concerns within the party leadership. Firstly, there is apprehension about whether it would be prudent for Rahul to contest from Amethi again, as a potential loss could dent the morale of the party. Conversely, abstaining from contesting could inadvertently provide an opportunity for the opposition. Despite these concerns, the party has resolved to field Rahul in Amethi.
Sources indicate that preparations have commenced in both Rae Bareli and Amethi.
Regarding Priyanka Gandhi, the decision has been left to her discretion. The party’s strategy entails that if Rahul emerges victorious in Amethi, Priyanka should resign from Wayanad and contest from there. The final decision on Rae Bareli and Amethi will be made shortly after assessing the voting trends on Friday.
Nomination for both constituencies is set to begin on Friday, with the deadline for filing nominations being May 3. It is speculated that Rahul will file his nomination on May 1. Prior to this, both Rahul and Priyanka might visit Ayodhya to pay homage to Ram Lala.
If the voter turnout in the second phase mirrors that of the first phase and favors the opposition, Priyanka may decide to enter the electoral fray.
The intricate decision-making process underscores the complexity of strategic planning within the Congress party as they navigate the electoral landscape.