Congress’ Pilot sounds poll bugle in Ghaziabad

Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday slammed the “double-engine ki sarkar” (Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh) and said that the state never re-elects the same party.

Pilot was in Ghaziabad to campaign for Congress candidates who are contesting in all the five assembly constituencies in the upcoming state polls.

“In this area, we have a direct fight with the BJP. The “double-engine ki sarkar” has posed problems for the people. The farmers were forced to carry on agitation for over a year and about 700 of them also died. People of every segment suffered and are annoyed with them,” Pilot said.

Pilot also slammed the BJP on a host of issues such as healthcare, education, roads, electricity and unemployment.

“After failing on all these accounts, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is talking about 80:20, religious divide, love-jihad and mandir-masjid for which he is well known. People are fed up with all this and want development. Also, many of their leaders have run away to other parties and this gives an indication. If the BJP is so strong, what is the need for the Union home minister Amit Shah to hold meetings with Jat leaders?” Pilot added.

Pilot was campaigning for Congress candidate Sushant Goyal, who is contesting his first election. He is the son of former Congress MP late Surendra Prakash Goyal. He also went to the grain market at Ghanta Ghar and visited several shops during the election campaign.

“People in UP need change and in UP governments don’t get repeated. So, there will be change this time and the Congress is the best bet for the people. They have seen different governments in the past 30 years and other parties have not been able to perform the role of Opposition. If they (BJP) are not fearful this election, why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adityanath holding so many election campaigns,” Pilot said.

BJP leaders countered Pilot and said that the Congress party has lost base across the state.

“If they think that they have a fight with the BJP, let them remain in illusion. They have lost their base in UP and the coming election will be another eye-opener for them,” BJP’s city president Sanjeev Sharma said.

Political experts agreed and said that the Congress has lost base in India’s most populous state over the last 30 years.

“For any political outfit to succeed, it needs to have workers and cadres. Congress cadres have shifted to other parties over the years. If their leaders are trying to gain ground, they should first build a strong base of party workers, so that the party gains strength in the next 5-10 years,” said KK Sharma, associate professor (history) from MM College, Modinagar.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress general secretary, is leading her party’s campaign in UP and has also promised 40 percent seats to women candidates. The party also launched a manifesto for the youth to woo young voters.

The Congress fared poorly during the last three assembly elections held in 2007, 2012 and 2017.