New Delhi: The Congress’ victory in Himachal Pradesh, which ended its three-year dropping streak in meeting elections, got here as a shot within the arm for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, whose management and organisational abilities have been beneath scanner after the disastrous present within the Uttar Pradesh polls in March.
The girl-centric marketing campaign of the final secretary in command of Uttar Pradesh had failed miserably then, with the Congress tally coming down from 7 to 2 in India’s politically most necessary state.
Based on members of her group, Priyanka, who was the Congress face within the just-ended Himachal marketing campaign, used classes from the failed outing within the hill state.
The primary lesson was the significance of understanding a bipolar marketing campaign, thereby not attacking the opposition however “making area for the Congress”.
“For those who discover, she had not talked about the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) in any of her marketing campaign speeches. There was additionally no direct point out of PM Modi. A mistake in UP was making an attempt to make a bipolar marketing campaign tripolar. The main target this time was on optimistic campaigning and, subsequently, elevating the problems of OPS (outdated pension scheme), unemployment, and girls,” a member of group Priyanka instructed ThePrint.
In her first rally, whereas promising to carry again the OPS and guaranteeing one lakh jobs to the youth, Priyanka harped again to her grandmother Indira Gandhi’s legacy and the function of the previous PM in Himachal’s statehood.
“Indira Gandhi wished her ashes to be positioned within the Himalayas as nicely. Whenever you look across the snow-clad peaks, you’ll realise that Indira Gandhi can be part of it,” Priyanka had mentioned.
One other necessary studying from UP, which noticed Congress leaders stop and change sides earlier than the polls ostensibly as a result of they have been sad with group Priyanka, was the significance of “insurgent administration”.
On condition that the BJP’s factionalism was one of many causes for the ruling celebration dropping the polls, this tactic got here useful. One other strategic transfer was bringing in Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, a senior chief with heft, to mediate between sparring leaders as a substitute of Priyanka being the go to particular person.
Priyanka was clued-in to what was occurring
A Congress functionary, who was concerned within the Himachal marketing campaign, instructed ThePrint that after the preliminary train of establishing the group and dealing with Baghel and state ballot in-charge Rajiv Shukla to determine on technique, Priyanka didn’t contain herself within the political administration, although she could be clued-in to what was occurring.
“Baghel had the seniority to scold or search accountability from native leaders. He was additionally senior sufficient to mediate and placate state-level leaders in case of factional fights or rebellions after ticket distribution,” the functionary added.
There was additionally extra concentrate on “winnability” throughout ticket distribution which Priyanka had accepted went unsuitable in UP.
“At the very least 4 surveys have been performed and an unbiased agency was roped in to conduct them,” mentioned the functionary from Priyanka’s group, claiming that the primary survey confirmed the Congress was ready to win roughly 24 seats with 38 per cent vote share.
Based on the Election Fee’s ultimate numbers, the Congress gained 40 seats within the 68-member meeting with a vote share of 43.9 per cent.
At the same time as some concessions nonetheless needed to be made to accommodate factional teams, the ticket distribution was completed largely primarily based on winnability information from this survey. Whereas Priyanka camped within the hill state for about 3 weeks within the run-up to the elections, versus the almost 2 months she had spent in UP, her involvement within the Himachal polls was evident since Might.
For instance, after the Chintan Shivir and embarrassing losses in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Uttar Pradesh, the Congress determined to nominate one AICC secretary for every district in Himachal in preparation for the polls. There have been 12 secretaries in all, of which one-third have been from Priyanka’s group in Uttar Pradesh.
Based on celebration sources, the preliminary team-building was additionally completed by her. It’s learnt that Rajiv Shukla, a pacesetter from Uttar Pradesh, was appointed state in-charge for Himachal on her suggestion. Baghel, identified to be on good phrases with Priyanka, was thereafter appointed as senior ballot observer with Sachin Pilot, additionally near Priyanka, as his deputy.
Whereas each Baghel and Shukla have been instrumental in gathering assets for the polls, the celebration’s communication and social media groups have been largely dealt with by Baghel’s political advisor and former journalist Vinod Verma. The AICC secretaries chipped in within the type of customising content material and literature for his or her districts.
Within the weeks earlier than the Himachal election, Priyanka held a number of rallies in Solan, Nagrota, Harauli, Shillai and Mandi. The Congress has gained handsomely in all these areas.
She will likely be intently concerned within the choice of the state’s subsequent CM as nicely, ThePrint has learnt.
The Congress’ New ‘Lady Face’
Within the first assembly of the Congress’ Steering Committee after the election of latest celebration president Mallikarjun Kharge, it was determined that Priyanka will lead Mahila marches in all state capitals subsequent yr within the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
It’s a function that Priyanka has been positioning herself for since UP, the place she ran an albeit unsuccessful marketing campaign on the ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ slogan. The celebration’s total marketing campaign was on the again of girls’s points and 40 per cent ballot tickets have been allotted to ladies.
In Himachal too, some imprints of her UP marketing campaign may very well be seen, for instance, the promise of Rs 1,500 revenue assist for ladies and the Har Ghar Lakshmi Abhiyan — a door-to-door programme particularly to contact ladies.
Up to now, a few of Priyanka’s political selections have been detrimental for the celebration. For instance, in Punjab, her insistence on siding with Navjot Sidhu over incumbent CM Amarinder Singh was one of many causes that led to the Congress’ embarrassing defeat to the AAP.
She has additionally been criticised for insisting on sending three leaders from Uttar Pradesh — Rajiv Shukla, Pramod Tiwari and Imran Pratapgarhi — to the Rajya Sabha when many would say it made no strategic sense given the celebration had solely two MLAs from UP and thereby no stake within the state.
4 years after she took the plunge into politics, the Himachal polls are being projected by the Congress leaders as her first main achievement.
(Edited by V. S. Chandrasekar)