Ahead of MP Assembly polls, Congress has a new strategy
The Gujarat-Karnataka template for campaigning has been adopted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh in the run-up to the assembly elections. Congress' Rahul Gandhi has a central role to play in the campaign that by all accounts will be different from the 2013 campaign in intensity and reach.
The now familiar theme of beginning the campaign with a visit to a local temple is a common factor in all events being planned by the Congress involving party President Rahul Gandhi. So the Bhopal roadshow on September 17 was preceded by a prayer by 21 priests while the Satna-Rewa roadshow began with a visit to the Kamtanath temple in Chitrakoot.
The emphasis, however, this time seems to be more on road shows than public meetings. Of course, many roadshows will culminate in the form of meetings as was the case in Bhopal on September 17 and in Satna on September 27. Congress sources said this would help Rahul Gandhi cover more ground in a given district. Also, it gives the electorate the option of hearing out the leader in their own towns and villages rather than having to travel to a particular place for a meeting.
The 2018 campaign being planned by the Congress would also be more intense compared to the 2013 one. Back then, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi covered only six districts out of the 50 districts in MP.
Within the next fortnight, Rahul Gandhi would be in Gwalior, Morena and Jabalpur on October 6 and would again be in MP on October 15-16 to do road shows in Ujjain, Indore, Dhar and Jhabua. In all, there would have been four visits by the Congress President within a month. In Jabalpur, where a road show and public meeting have been planned, he would offer prayers at the Narmada ghat and in Ujjain, visit Mahakal Temple. Through the road shows he is likely to cover 150km on each visit.
Having covered central MP, Gwalior, Baghelkhand, Mahakoshal and Malwa by October 16, the next leg of touring – though dates have not been finalised yet – would include the Chambal and Bundelkhand region. Rahul’s campaign seems to be a direct attempt at preventing electoral gains to the BJP that is likely to accrue once the Modi juggernaut starts rolling. BJP President Amit Shah is also visiting MP from October 6 onwards.
(Courtesy of Mail Today)