The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has asked north Indian party cadre to pull up their socks and campaign extensively for Sheila Dikshit who has been projected as the chief ministerial candidate of Uttar Pradesh. After suffering massive defeat in the assembly elections Congress is gearing up for a major makeover and hence the party is leaving no stone unturned to lure voters ahead of the crucial UP assembly elections scheduled to be held next year. Congress has asked grassroot workers to remain active and connect with voters in their respective constituencies. This time the party will also focus on social media with an aim to reach out to large number of youth who are active on these platforms. Social media had played a vital role the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as Narendra Modi had emerged as the face of BJP which was responsible for the party’s thumping victory.
According to sources from Congress party, “The UP election is very important for us as it can change the fortunes of political parties. Hence we have asked party workers to connect with voters and understand the problems faced by them in their constituency. Since Sheila Dikshit has experience of running the administration she is the right candidate for the chief minister’s post. She had done good work during her reign as the Chief Minister of Delhi.”
By inducting Dikshit the Congress is trying to lure Brahmin voters as they comprise around 10 per cent of the state’s population. Election strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended that Dikshit should play a major role in the party’s poll campaign as she is the Brahmin face of the party. The Congress has been losing its grip over UP since 1989 as parties like BSP and Samajwadi Party has emerged stronger in the state. Brahmins have shifted loyalties towards BJP post Mandal era and even BSP Chief Mayawati has been able to lure Brahmins by giving more representation to leaders from their community.
Dikshit’s first tryst with politics was in 1984, when she was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj in UP. Her husband, IAS officer Vinod Dikshit, was the son of freedom fighter and Congress leader Uma Shankar Dikshit.
The Congress is trying to regain its foothold in UP where currently it has just 30 MLAs in the 403-member assembly. Congress could win only two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls represented by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi respectively. The party lacks a popular leader in UP who can attract voters and gain their confidence. Right now the morale of Congress party workers has taken a severe beating due to its mediocre performance in the assembly polls. On the other hand, BJP is yet to name its chief ministerial candidate for UP.
