Before the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, all the political parties of the country have started their campaigning. In this sequence, Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra is being taken out under the leadership of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. This yatra will enter the border of Uttar Pradesh from Naubatpur of Chandauli on 16th February. Will reach Varanasi on 17th February. During this time, they can also reach Kashi Vishwanath Dham for darshan. But in view of the board examinations in Uttar Pradesh, the time of Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra has been reduced. Now in Uttar Pradesh this journey will last only for 6 days instead of 11 days. Congress’ Uttar Pradesh unit spokesperson Anshu Awasthi issued a statement on Monday saying that Rahul Gandhi has reduced the time of his Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra in the state in view of the UP Board examinations and the interests of the students. He told that earlier this yatra was to be held in UP from 16th January to 26th February, but keeping in mind the Uttar Pradesh Board examinations starting on 22nd February, now it will remain in this state only till 21st February. He said that setting an example of sensitivity, Rahul Gandhi kept public interest on priority on many occasions. Even before this, he had canceled his rallies in Bengal during the Corona period out of concern for the people. Awasthi said that Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra will enter Uttar Pradesh from Varanasi on 16th February and will reach Amethi on 19th February via Bhadohi, Prayagraj and Pratapgarh. Rahul will address a public meeting in Gauriganj of Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. He told that the yatra will reach Rae Bareli and Lucknow on 20th. There will be night rest in Lucknow. The next day this yatra will reach Unnao, here via Shuklaganj it will enter Kanpur. Congress spokesperson said that the yatra will reach Jhansi via Hamirpur from Kanpur and enter Madhya Pradesh on the same day.
Not getting time to prepare for Lok Sabha elections
According to Congress sources, during Rahul Gandhi’s visit, the entire team is devoting time to the programs related to the visit. In such a situation, we are not getting time to prepare for the Lok Sabha elections. There will be internal meetings and review of Congress regarding the elections as well as the process of selection of candidates. All India Congress Committee officials are not able to devote time to it. Not only this, Rahul Gandhi is also not getting time for election preparations. Whereas UP State President Ajay Rai says that the board exams are starting on 22nd February. Due to this, the days of Bharat Jodo Yatra have been reduced in UP. Since the commencement of the examination, accommodation arrangements are not being made in the schools and colleges falling on the yatra route. The places being found are far from the travel route.
Big reason for RLD leaving alliance after Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar, considered the strongest in Bihar, suddenly left the India alliance and joined the NDA alliance. Until Congress could understand the equation and the loss caused to the India alliance by Nitish Kumar. By then, Rashtriya Lok Dal, considered the strongest in Western UP, has also decided to leave the India alliance. Not only this, RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary made it clear that he is going into alliance with NDA. Let us tell you that after Bihar, with the weakening of the Indian alliance in Uttar Pradesh too, the decision on seat sharing has also become complicated. While on one hand Akhilesh Yadav has decided to give 11 seats to Congress, on the other hand Samajwadi Party, which has announced to give 7 seats to Rashtriya Lok Dal, has also suffered a major setback in the India alliance. In such a situation, the time of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which was earlier till April, has now been reduced.
The timing of announcement of election date is also a reason
Now only about a month is left for the announcement of Lok Sabha elections 2024. For this reason also, Rahul Gandhi’s travel time has been reduced. It is believed that the Election Commission teams have visited Andhra Pradesh and taken stock of the election preparations there. According to the information received so far, the Commission’s teams will test the preparations in all the states by the first week of March. After that the election date will be announced in the second week of March itself. Elections can begin only at least 28 days after the Election Commission’s announcement. In this way, the first phase of voting is also expected to be held by the second week of April. This entire election calendar will be more or less similar to the 2019 general elections, when the Election Commission had announced the elections on March 10 and the process ended on May 24. Election Commission teams go to the states and take stock of many aspects including security arrangements. After that, when the preparations are tested, then preparations are made to start the process.
Allies also left Congress due to its lack of leadership.
RLD National Vice President Shahid Siddiqui is calling BJP leaders more professional than Congress leaders. Political experts believe that the Congress India alliance is lacking in leadership. That’s why small parties are becoming disillusioned. Shahid Siddiqui had just written in his tweet on January 28 that the biggest enemy of Congress is the arrogance of its leadership. Forget about Gandhi family, its second and third rank leaders are so arrogant that it becomes difficult to approach them. On the other hand, there is no ego in BJP, it does not delay in compromising with its biggest enemies.
Efforts to bring BSP together begin again
Sources in the National Congress say that after leaving the Rashtriya Lok Dal and separation of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, efforts are being made once again by top Congress leaders to contact Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati. In a meeting held by the top leadership of Congress, strict instructions have been issued to the leaders of Uttar Pradesh not to contact the leaders of Bahujan Samaj Party and not make statements about their chief. A Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, said that if Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati joins us in the India Alliance, then we will contest the elections with more strength not only in Uttar Pradesh but in the entire country. It is believed that after coming together with Congress and BSP, Congress will also talk to prominent and responsible leaders of Samajwadi Party. But on the other hand, there are discussions that Congress does not want to give any political statement to other parties until BSP contacts them.