The Gandhi- Nehru name has lost its Shine in UP

The UP election results are out. All the gallup polls have come a cropper, after forecasting a hung house. Most political pundits had opined that the Congress under Rahul would win a significant number of seats in the house and thus would have a decisive effect on the formation of the next government in Lucknow. Unfortinately all the predictions have been swept down the Ganga and the Samajwadi party has won a comfortable majority.

The surprise is the performance of the Congress party. Whose charge was led by the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi household, Rahul Gandhi. This debacle is after the party had allied with the RLD a party led by the Jat leader Ajit Singh. Friendly overtures to the Muslims in the garb of a minority quota also had no effect and the Muslims it appears have dumped the Congress and voted for the SP.

The result is extremely significant. The Congress has also been wiped out in the Rai Bareli and Amethi belt, which was considered a safe seat and had always voted for the Congress. This belt was represented by Pandit Nehru since the fifties of the last century. The defeat here is like double slap and brings to the fore that the name of Gandhi is no longer a passport to victory.

These days people want development and a corruption free adminstration. Unfortunately Rahul could not strike a chord with the electorate who percieved him as a man without morals. Remember he took a stand against the anti- corruptipn crusader Anna Hazare. In addition the Congress at the center presided over the biggest loot on Indian history.

Rahul thus could not connect with the voters. His campaign lacked substantive issues. Now the people are no longer enamored with the Gandhi name and Rahul was unwise in thinking that his name alone would do the trick.