National politics occupies so much of our mind-space that the importance of political events in the states can be easily overlooked. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav seems to have rewritten an entire chapter on statecraft. What is more, the Congress can pick up some important lessons from it.
If anyone truly celebrated the New Year, it has to be Akhilesh. With 2016, he has left behind the burden of anti-incumbency as well as the shortcomings of the Samajwadi Party. He has taken the right of succession from the other respected members of the party. Despite the weak performance of his term, he made a dramatic entry into 2017 with a new, clean image.
A Strong Grip Over His Own Party
This does not mean that the SP is slated to win the election in the state. However, it is certain that in the future, Akhilesh won’t be lugging around excess baggage. Even if he loses the election, he will have indefinite control over the party. Among SP supporters, his image is more imposing than ever. He has proved that he is unafraid to take big and bold decisions on his own. Overturning his father’s decisions has created quite an impression.
As a political party expands and rules, it is certain that they will make mistakes. It will be burdened with past stories of corruption and abuse of power which will tarnish the party’s image.
In a family-run political party like the SP, being a leader is not difficult, getting rid of the old baggage is. Akhilesh has accepted this challenge and played the game well.
Four Points to Notice
Image Makeover
For four years, he was labelled as “half-CM”. Now, just before the election, he has proved himself to be a decent, good-natured and seemingly innocent politician, who has asserted his image with a loud bang. This was helped by a billboard campaign, not just at Hazratganj in Lucknow, but even at Haji Ali in Mumbai.
The Congress, on the other hand, put in a lot of time and effort to work out a new strategy, but still hesitate to implement a fresh approach.
Free of Legacy
A major outcome of the whole drama was that Akhilesh left no room for doubt when it came to distancing himself from immoral party activities. Even though Rahul Gandhi never ruled, he has never tried to distance himself from disagreeable legacies of the Congress. Rahul will do well to take notes from Akhilesh’s strategy.
New Offer
In fact, Akhilesh is not even offering anything new to the public, except positing himself as a new age leader full of energy and (seemingly) honest. For the time being, he can do without a new vision for state politics.
This is a luxury that the Congress does not have. What do they have offer afresh? One does not know for sure.
Is the current public opinion the same as what the Modi government is trying to shape? Is there an alternative opinion brewing in the country? What is it and what does the Congress plan to do about it? Will they finally speak up?
Decision-making
Whether Akhilesh wins or loses, he has placed smart bets and ensured that he will have a strong grip over the political games which are yet to take place in the state. For this, he will need to make big decisions.
Demonetisation was a risky move but Modi went ahead with it. In 2017, questions will be raised on whether Rahul Gandhi can take these independent decisions and prove that he is capable of playing a new game of statecraft, like George Bush, Narendra Modi and Akhilesh Yadav.
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