New Delhi: This year, Assam is witnessing a battle of relevance in the state, rather than a battle of supremacy. As Congress is having high hopes for a comeback in Assam, most of the prominent leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are putting in extra efforts with an aim to reclaim it's long lost political glory.
Amid this, Congress is somehow ignoring West Bengal, which is also going to polls in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. No high profile Congress leader has visited West Bengal so far, and the whole responsibility has been given to its state unit. West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Choudhary is looking after the preparations as well as campaigning for the upcoming polls.
While in Assam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi visited the state twice within a month. In her recent visit, she addressed 6 public meetings in the state. Before that, Congress former President Rahul Gandhi had just ended his election campaign in Assam, on Saturday. It has also been said that he may turn up for another leg of campaigning in the state.
Speaking over the matter, senior journalist and political analyst, Rashid Kidwai said, "Congress has a piecemeal strategy, that is a different strategy for different states. In Assam, it's a big stakeholder because its main rival is BJP. If it defeats BJP, then it's going to be a big leg-up for Rahul Gandhi."
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He further explained, "In West Bengal, Congress is not fighting for Number 1 position. At best, Congress can play some kind of supportive role to Mamata Banerjee if she falls short of majority. Therefore, Congress is saving its resources and campaigners for Assam. Congress is thinking of a chance to get an offset victory in Assam. At the national level, Congress is fighting with BJP, not with TMC. So, the idea is to cause maximum damage to BJP."
The Hindu majority state is the most strategically and politically-crucial northeastern state of India. This state also has a formidable Muslim population. Therefore, considering the religious categorisation in the present context, the Congress party is focusing it's entire political campaign on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) as both the laws of Central Government have put many at risk of expulsion.
While releasing Congress Manifesto for Assam, Rahul Gandhi had promised that if they came to power at the Centre in the next General Elections, the party will nullify these laws.
While in West Bengal, Congress has targeted minority vote base by having an alliance with Abbas Siddiqui-led ISF. Congress is hoping that its pact with ISF would safeguard its traditional minority base in the belt of Malda-Murshidabad. According to the sources, the decision to prepare a strategy for the upcoming elections was being given to the state unit, which had even erupted into a controversy when Congress' senior leader Anand Sharma questioned Adhir Ranjan over the matter.
In Assam, Congress is moving in a step by step manner. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had started election campaigning two weeks back. It shows that Congress is more confident and is set to turn the corner in these states. Bhupesh Baghel is somehow replicating the Chhatisgarh Model in Assam as well. From providing campaigning strategy teams to resources, Chhattisgarh CM had tried to control factionalism in the state, said sources. This has been done in addition to the campaign decided by AICC incharge Jitendra Singh, who is one of the close aides of Rahul Gandhi.
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"The role of outsiders is only supportive. It's a linguistic state. Mr Baghel is just a support to the Congress campaign. In Assam, Congress is fighting against Hemant Sarma, who is an ex-Congressman. Bhupesh Baghel is good at such things. These elections are based on micro-management and Congress believes in Bhupesh Baghel for that matter," said Rashid Kidwai.
Assam will go into polls in three phases, starting from March 27, on 47 seats, then April 1 for 39 seats and on April 6 for 40 seats. While the result will be declared on May 2.
