With barely two days left for campaigning for the first phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a multi-party bloc of opposition parties, has failed to hold a Congress-Samajwadi Party joint rally.
Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in UP will take place on April 19 in eight constituencies. But so far, no election rally or public meeting of any big opposition leader from other states, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other state leaders, has been scheduled in western Uttar Pradesh.
However, on the last day of campaigning on April 17, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is scheduled to hold a road show in Saharanpur in support of party candidate Imran Masood from Gol Kothi at 10 am. The Congress is contesting elections in UP in alliance with the INDIA bloc. However, in the first phase, the party is contesting only one seat in UP – Saharanpur.
Despite all efforts, the party has not been able to organise even a single rally or meeting of any big leader in the first phase.
The election campaign for the first phase has now reached its final stage. So far, no programme of a big leader has been organised in western Uttar Pradesh. What is more, no big leader of the party from other states has been able to come for campaigning in UP.
Chairman of the party’s media department, Dr CP Rai, said preparations were on for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s road show in Saharanpur on April 16 or 17. He said it was expected that soon the central leadership would finalise Priyanka’s programme and that of other leaders.
He said in the second phase, there would be meetings of many leaders, rallies and meetings with the leaders of the alliance. There may not be programmes of national leaders in western UP but the state Congress leaders have camped in the area, he added.
On the one hand, party’s state in-charge Avinash Pandey is holding Lok Sabha-wise meetings and reviews. UPCC president Ajay Rai and Pramod Tiwari are reaching out to the public whereas the programme of public relation meetings of Brijlal Khabri, Naseemuddin Siddiqui and others are also on the card.
Along with campaigning at the grassroots level, the party has also intensified the campaign on social media. On Sunday, the party prepared and released videos of different leaders on the issues of women, youth and farmers. Party leaders say that every day five to ten videos on major issues will be made and released. It will be delivered through various mediums as well as at the booth level.
