In an unprecedented occurrence, the national political dialogue during the 2024 Lok Sabha electoral campaign extended beyond the typical topics of unemployment and inflation, with the Constitution’s integrity taking center stage, according to senior Congress officials on the campaign’s final day.
“The discourse surrounding the Constitution emerged as a pivotal aspect of the national political narrative during the Lok Sabha elections. It commenced with the misuse of Constitutional entities by the Central government, the ousting of several opposition-led state administrations in contravention of Constitutional provisions, and subsequently, the assertions made by BJP leaders, suggesting the need for 400 seats to alter the Constitution. Ordinarily, the Constitution doesn’t feature prominently in public discourse, but this time it did. The INDIA bloc’s campaign prominently highlighted this issue. Consequently, ordinary citizens felt a sense of jeopardy and resentment towards the BJP’s haughtiness,” Girish Chodankar, a Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee, disclosed.
“Another focal point for the opposition coalition was the pledge to alleviate the plight of unemployed youth and women grappling with the soaring prices of essential commodities. These concepts stemmed from Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide journeys and subsequently became prominent aspects of our manifesto. Following the release of our manifesto, the Prime Minister criticized it, alleging it bore resemblance to the Muslim League’s agenda. This reaction underscored the Prime Minister’s apprehension, which only escalated with each successive phase of polling. Despite attempts by the PM to incite us, we remained steadfast in addressing the concerns of the populace,” he added.
In addition to the aforementioned issues, insiders within the party highlighted the camaraderie between former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, and between Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav in Bihar, as pivotal in bolstering the INDIA bloc’s prospects in these two significant states, collectively accounting for 120 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats.
While the BJP commands a considerable majority in Uttar Pradesh, boasting 80 Lok Sabha seats, it shares power with JD-U in Bihar, which possesses 40 parliamentary seats.
“The alliance between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, as well as between Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Akhilesh’s wife Dimple Yadav, emerged as a notable highlight of our campaign in the state. Beyond their individual charisma, the collective issues they championed galvanized support for the alliance, promising a surprising electoral performance,” Avinash Pande, AICC in charge of UP, elaborated.
“As a consequence, both Rahul and Akhilesh campaigned extensively across various constituencies, including the PM’s bastion of Varanasi. The joint roadshow conducted by Priyanka and Dimple in Varanasi garnered significant attention from youth, women, and farmers,” he remarked.
The AICC official asserted that the electoral battle in Varanasi was closely contested.
“Over the past decade, an influx of outsiders who have acquired land and invested in Varanasi has contributed to a perception that is at odds with the city’s traditional social fabric. There is a growing desire for change, fueled by unmet electoral promises. Our candidate, Ajay Rai, is mounting a robust challenge,” Pande asserted.
Akhilesh Prasad Singh, the Bihar Congress chief, concurred with RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav’s assertion that the INDIA bloc is poised to secure over 30 out of 40 seats in the state. In recent days, Congress strategists have released video clips featuring both Rahul-Akhilesh and Rahul-Tejaswi to underscore the bond between the leading opposition campaigners.
