The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP, Rahul Gandhi, embarked on a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency, Raebareli, on Thursday. He landed at Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at 10 AM. UP Congress President Ajay Rai and Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari extended a warm welcome to him, with Amethi Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma also present. Prior to this, Rahul Gandhi had visited Raebareli on November 5, 2024. Since the Lok Sabha elections, this marks his fourth tour to Raebareli.
From Lucknow Airport, Rahul Gandhi traveled to Raebareli by road, where he offered prayers at a Hanuman temple. Following this, he visited the Mool Bharti hostel for a conversation with Dalit students, addressing the rampant law violations in the nation and asserting his intent to listen and comprehend their concerns. During this discussion, a young student expressed admiration for the BSP supremo, Mayawati.
The student remarked how Kanshi Ram initiated a movement for Dalits, which Mayawati further advanced, continuing her work for Dalit upliftment. Rahul Gandhi concurred, acknowledging the foundation laid by Kanshi Ram and the contributions of 'Behenji' (Mayawati) within the BSP. However, he questioned her recent electoral strategies, saying, 'Why isn't Behenji contesting elections effectively these days?'
He continued, expressing a desire for Mayawati to join forces with the Congress against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. 'Had all three parties (SP, BSP, and Congress) united, the BJP could never have triumphed. Why didn't Mayawati align with us? If she had, we would certainly have claimed victory.'
Before reaching the Mool Bharti hostel, Rahul Gandhi addressed Congress workers in Bachhrawan, emphasizing how the BJP's policies such as GST and demonetization have exacerbated unemployment nationwide. He asserted that if the central government operated with integrity, millions of youths could secure employment. When journalists asked if he plans to attend the Maha Kumbh festival, Rahul Gandhi simply greeted them and moved forward without further comment.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, SP and Congress contested under the India Block banner, while BJP, Apna Dal, RLD, Subhaspa, and Nishad Party formed an alliance under NDA. The BSP contested independently. In UP, the India Block secured 43 seats, with SP winning 37 and Congress 6. NDA claimed 36 seats, with BJP pocketing 33, RLD 2, and Apna Dal 1, while BSP failed to open its account.
In terms of vote share, the BJP garnered 41.37%, SP 33.59%, Congress 9.46%, and BSP 9.39%. If we consider the voting percentages in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, inclusion of BSP in the India Block could have significantly altered the seat equation in UP, potentially rallying the Dalit vote bank extensively in favor of the India Block and posing substantial challenges to the BJP.
