Not amused over Grand Old Party's deciding against fielding Priyanka Gandhi in Varanasi vs Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There was never a fight in Varanasi, not even in 2014 when Modi contest from there first time.In 2014 Modi was BJP candidate for prime ministerial post and faced Arvind Kejriwal, the then emerging national hero of corruption-free India. He won hands down from holy city of Kashi, as the Varanasi is known world over. Then religious fervor reign won over the corruption-related rhetoric.
Much water have flow down the "Maa" Ganga since 2014. Modi is prime minister this time and it's, definately, an uphill task to defeat a prime minister. Hawks can cite Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister's defeat in 1977. She was defeated by Janata Party candidate, Raj Narain. But 1977 was an exception. A strong current of anti-Congress, anti-Indira wave was sweeping across India from Kashmir in cow belt save South. Congress could just win one seat in this belt. Anti-Congress wave was so intense at that time that a newly born Janata Party won all 85 seats in Uttar Pradesh( Uttarakhand and its 5 Lok Sabha seats were part of UP).
2019 is even distantly not near 1977. There is no opposition unity. Congress is almost isolated and fighting alone in UP. It is not only involved in electoral battle with BJP-led strong alliance but also faces strog challenge from its assembly election ally Alkhilesh Yadav and powerful BJP-SP alliance erected over social engineering. The election data show that whenever there is a triangular contest ruling party has a clear edge. In this situation, putting its star campaigner and "Brahmastra" (Priyanka Gandhi) against Prime Minister would have tied her to more or less to Varanasi. Such a strategy would have been suicidal and falling in BJP trap.
Ultimately, despite hinting and teasing BJP that she would contest from Varanasi against PM Modi if her party wanted, Congress bailed her out. She is now free to campaign for party not only in UP but elsewhere as well.
There is another reason also. In politics, no body wants to start his or her political career with a defeat. Even Priyanka Gandhi and Congress top leadership, including her mother Sonia Gandhi knew that defeating Modi in Varanasi was next to impossible. Modi's ginormous roadshow in Varanasi proves this point.
Starting political career even with a defeat against the Prime Minister would have given her entry into league of gritty fighter and earning the stripes of an aggressive leader not shy of a tough fight. And a victory would have given her national hero status. But then stakes were too high and a party almost in state of hibernation in India's largest state, where it once mattered supreme, could hardly afford Win-Win and Lose-Lose situation. She is quite young n politics and age is on her side. She could preserve her energy and valour to 2024 Political valour pays in long run.
Much water have flow down the "Maa" Ganga since 2014. Modi is prime minister this time and it's, definately, an uphill task to defeat a prime minister. Hawks can cite Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister's defeat in 1977. She was defeated by Janata Party candidate, Raj Narain. But 1977 was an exception. A strong current of anti-Congress, anti-Indira wave was sweeping across India from Kashmir in cow belt save South. Congress could just win one seat in this belt. Anti-Congress wave was so intense at that time that a newly born Janata Party won all 85 seats in Uttar Pradesh( Uttarakhand and its 5 Lok Sabha seats were part of UP).
2019 is even distantly not near 1977. There is no opposition unity. Congress is almost isolated and fighting alone in UP. It is not only involved in electoral battle with BJP-led strong alliance but also faces strog challenge from its assembly election ally Alkhilesh Yadav and powerful BJP-SP alliance erected over social engineering. The election data show that whenever there is a triangular contest ruling party has a clear edge. In this situation, putting its star campaigner and "Brahmastra" (Priyanka Gandhi) against Prime Minister would have tied her to more or less to Varanasi. Such a strategy would have been suicidal and falling in BJP trap.
Ultimately, despite hinting and teasing BJP that she would contest from Varanasi against PM Modi if her party wanted, Congress bailed her out. She is now free to campaign for party not only in UP but elsewhere as well.
There is another reason also. In politics, no body wants to start his or her political career with a defeat. Even Priyanka Gandhi and Congress top leadership, including her mother Sonia Gandhi knew that defeating Modi in Varanasi was next to impossible. Modi's ginormous roadshow in Varanasi proves this point.