Sonia can't wait for Gujarat verdict, spurs Congress for next elections
The Gujarat election results are not yet out, but a new sense of urgency is evident in the Congress at the highest levels.
By Aarthi Ramachandran, TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Gujarat election results are not yet out, but a new sense of urgency is evident in the Congress at the highest levels. Party president Sonia Gandhi had been flying from Gujarat to Himachal Pradesh as part of her election duties, and after electioneering wound up in the two states, she spent time in her home constituency, Rae Bareli. There she inspected the Centre-sponsored ‘development works’ and also found time to criticise the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh for its shortcomings on the power and fertiliser fronts.
Just back from her UP trip, on Thursday Ms Gandhi met a number of political leaders, including alliance partners such as DMK chief M Karunanidhi (who was accompanied by his daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi), exchanged notes with Congress chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, Y S R Rajasekhara Reddy and Vilasrao Deshmukh, and also held discussions with state and central leaders from Rajasthan on issues arising out of the Gujjars’ demand for their inclusion into ST category. The day was not yet out when her plans to visit Orissa in February became known.
Going by the amount of activity within the Congress, Ms Gandhi’s travel itinerary does not look like it will get any lighter in the days to come. And what is more, party’s GenNext leader Rahul Gandhi is also slowly increasing his appearances at public platforms. He addressed a press conference in Lucknow recently, campaigned in Gujarat and might even be accompanying his mother to Orissa.
Perhaps, the Congress president is only following the advice she gave to the Congress MPs at the parliamentary party meeting held earlier this month. “I hope that you will spend time in your constituency amongst the people, speak to them about our programmes, inform yourselves about their implementation, learn from them what they expect of us and as party workers, participate in activities which will strengthen the party,” she said at the meeting, in what sounded like an early warning about impending general elections.
While the Congress is split on the question of when the next elections should be called, both Ms Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have signaled in public that the next elections will be held on schedule in 2009. However, several top leaders are of the view that a decision on that will have to factor in the Gujarat election results.
If the Congress loses Gujarat but manages to increase its tally in the state by a respectable figure, the party would be able to take some solace from it. If it wins the elections, then it will really charge up the cadre and call for a reassessment of the political situation which has been dominated by the Left’s opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal.
But as of now, the buzz of activity within the Congress top echelons suggests that irrespective of the Gujarat results, Ms Gandhi might be in a mood to get an early start on the preparations for the next general elections.
Just back from her UP trip, on Thursday Ms Gandhi met a number of political leaders, including alliance partners such as DMK chief M Karunanidhi (who was accompanied by his daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi), exchanged notes with Congress chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, Y S R Rajasekhara Reddy and Vilasrao Deshmukh, and also held discussions with state and central leaders from Rajasthan on issues arising out of the Gujjars’ demand for their inclusion into ST category. The day was not yet out when her plans to visit Orissa in February became known.
Going by the amount of activity within the Congress, Ms Gandhi’s travel itinerary does not look like it will get any lighter in the days to come. And what is more, party’s GenNext leader Rahul Gandhi is also slowly increasing his appearances at public platforms. He addressed a press conference in Lucknow recently, campaigned in Gujarat and might even be accompanying his mother to Orissa.
Perhaps, the Congress president is only following the advice she gave to the Congress MPs at the parliamentary party meeting held earlier this month. “I hope that you will spend time in your constituency amongst the people, speak to them about our programmes, inform yourselves about their implementation, learn from them what they expect of us and as party workers, participate in activities which will strengthen the party,” she said at the meeting, in what sounded like an early warning about impending general elections.
While the Congress is split on the question of when the next elections should be called, both Ms Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have signaled in public that the next elections will be held on schedule in 2009. However, several top leaders are of the view that a decision on that will have to factor in the Gujarat election results.
If the Congress loses Gujarat but manages to increase its tally in the state by a respectable figure, the party would be able to take some solace from it. If it wins the elections, then it will really charge up the cadre and call for a reassessment of the political situation which has been dominated by the Left’s opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal.
ADVERTISEMENT
But as of now, the buzz of activity within the Congress top echelons suggests that irrespective of the Gujarat results, Ms Gandhi might be in a mood to get an early start on the preparations for the next general elections.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
