They are the young Turks. Fresh, confident, high on technology and with foreign education to boot. Clad in the trademark white kurta pyjama and a black vest, they are also scions of political families, seen widely as harbingers of change and transformers of their respective parties. As they hit the campaign trail of the closely contested Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, corruption is the single-most recurring theme in the speeches of both these youngsters.
But that is where the similarities between Rahul Gandhi, heir apparent of the century-old Congress party, and Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, end. Their styles are different, as is their approach to issues and their connect with the grassroots.
In the race for grabbing a bigger chunk of the pie called Uttar Pradesh, both these politicians are out these days, hitting the dusty trail of the cow belt. How much of this charm can be converted to votes in the coming elections remains to be seen, as the outcome would not only mean numbers for their party, but would also be an assessment of their own political future.
So while 41-year-old bachelor boy Rahul flies in from New Delhi to the nearest airport to hop, skip and jump from one election meeting to another in this far-flung state, charming the crowds who have assembled to see him with his dimpled smile, 38-year-old father of three, Akhilesh, rolls out on his chariot, the more than two-decade-old Tata minibus, first used by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav for electioneering in 1987, for mass mobilisation. The refurbished minibus, or rath, is fitted with all the technology one needs to stay connected. A 22-inch LCD television, wi-fi and a good music system. After addressing people from atop the bus, mike in hand, he is propelled down inside the bus with the help of an inbuilt lift. The yatra in 1987 eventually propelled Mulayam to power in the state for the first time in 1989. It remains to be seen if history repeats itself.
United against BSP
The groundswell at the rallies of both Rahul and Akhilesh need to be seen to be believed. ?Anyone, but not the BSP,? is the popular refrain, as also, ?nothing has been done in the last five years?. But when asked who between the two yuvrajs would be their choice, the people are circumvent and nebulous. ?The one who will work for us,? is the usual catchphrase. This election, which is being projected as a Rahul versus Akhilesh battle, will definitely throw up many interesting results.
Indeed, it is this vagueness of opinion that the two leaders are trying to harness. ?Mayawati?s magical elephants are eating away all the money meant for you,? says Rahul sarcastically. ?While the entire country is taking giant strides on the strength of your labour, you are going hungry. So while Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Gujarat have metros and the best of hospitals and infrastructure projects built by you, you do not even get the money meant for your health or jobs promised for you nearer home, as all these have been eaten away either by the elephants or the ministers of Mayawati,? Rahul booms at Kauriram assembly constituency reserved for the SC, from where Nirmala Devi is the Congress candidate.
Maya and elephant bashing take up a large chunk of Samajwadi Party icon Akhilesh?s election speeches too. Taking potshots at the ruling BSP and its chief minister, he says she has a share in the corruption money that is collected by her ministers. ?She has installed currency counting machines at her home and every day at least R100 crore is given to her by her corrupt leaders and officers?, he claims, while addressing a massive gathering at Domariaganj tehsil in Siddharthanagar district of eastern UP. He adds that it is a matter of extreme pain that people?s money was first used for building of statues and is now being spent on covering the same on the instructions of the Election Commission.
The meeting here (Domariaganj crossing) is more than three hours behind schedule and it has been raining most of the morning. But the fact that more than 10,000 people have been waiting for Akhilesh in this extreme cold for hours has the party workers enthused, says Amaresh Prasad, a local SP worker in Siddharthnagar. And, statements like ?Yeh jawaanon ki ladai hai. Janta parivartan chahti hai? strike the right chord with the public.
Akhilesh vs Rahul
While the BSP emerges as the enemy number one for both, there is no love lost between these two either. The flashpoints are many. At the Chauri Chaura constituency in Gorakhpur, Rahul says Mulayam Singh has a different set of parameters for the people of the state and another for his son. ?Akhilesh ko main jaanta hoon, angrezi jaanta hai, computer bhi chala leta hai. Magar jab aam aadmi ki baat hoti hai to Mulayamji bollte hain ki computers aur angrezi nahi honi chahiye. Main poochta hoon, agar zaroorat nahi to Akhilesh kyon istemal karta hai? Vikaas mein sab ko shaamil hona chaiye,? he thunders, adding that the SP stand on Muslim reservation, too, is skewed. ?Woh kehte hain 4.5% reservation kam hai. Main kehta hoon ki agar unhe aisa lagta hai to woh kyon nahi is baat ko apne manifesto mein daalte hain, ki agar unki sarkar aayi toh woh 18% reservation denge,? he asks angrily, adding, ?unki cycle to puncture ho gayi hai.?
Anger is manifest in Akhilesh?s tone too, though more controlled. Addressing the people of Bansi, Siddharthnagar, from where SP candidate Lalji Yadav defeated Jai Pratap Singh of the BJP in the last election, Akhilesh says without naming the Congress or Rahul Gandhi, ?They say that the SP is against the use of English and computers. It is not so. Our view is that we should use our lok bhasha?Hindi and Urdu?more often. It is the language of the masses. Only when and where necessary, English should be used. English has been made the language of prathishtha, respect. We oppose that. There are many developed nations in the world where English is not used, such as Germany and France. They are not lagging behind in any form. Even a child knows that computers can now be used in Hindi, Urdu or any other local language,? he says.
The public connect
Speaking to this reporter inside his rath after the meeting gets over, Akhilesh is forthright, ?As long as technology does not lead to unemployment, we are not against it. In fact, we are all for it and everyone can see it,? he says, toying with his iPhone. True enough. Gadgetry is now a part of the Samajwadi Party. It now has a Facebook profile and a Twitter account to connect with the changing mood of the youth.
But Akhilesh?s charm also works well. On the way back from the meeting in Bansi, it is pitch dark and freezing. But the swell of motivated supporters wanting to meet Akhilesh does not allow the bus to move forward. Disembarking from the lift, he comes to the door of the bus and stands on its footstand, waving and shaking hands with workers. He even invites a few inside to have a glimpse of his chariot. But the workers are not satisfied. They want their leader to stop and have tea with them. ?Nahi nahi bhai mere, bahut der ho gayi hai. Bhuja le lete hain, chai phir kabhi aur,? says Akhilesh, grabbing a fistful of rice puffs before the bus moves on.
Resurgence in Congress is widely being seen as riding on Rahul?s shoulders and his aggressive campaigning and that is why for the first time in the past 22 years since the party has been in the wilderness in the state, party workers are looking charged up. ?Results of pre-poll surveys show that we will stage a remarkable comeback as compared with the 2007 elections, when we won only 22 seats. Aided by Rahulji, we are now ready to fight till the finish,? says Gulab Chand, a Congress worker attending the Kauriram rally.
Impassioned speeches are immensely popular in the Congress camp, as are personal references. ?The elephant has eaten away all the money and the cycle will puncture all your hopes,? Rahul says satirically, referring to the ?Umeed ki cycle? slogan of the SP. ?They did not do anything for you in the past 22 years. We know how to run governments. We have changed Mizoram, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. All that I ask you is to give me five years. I will change UP and in ten years? time, you will not be able to recognise it yourself,? promises Rahul.