Nitish fails to change poll discourse in eastern UP
Despite all efforts by Ntish Kumar and his party–men to change election discourse, nothing seems to have changed at the ground level in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
When most of the eastern UP went into polls in the second phase of polling on Saturday, everyone knew that voting had taken place on the basis of caste and community.
The issue of development seems to have made no impact on the mind of people.
The eastern part of UP adjoins Bihar and is linked to its western part both culturally and linguistically.
The Janata Dal–United entered into the polls with the hope that it could cash in on the image of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a “development man”.
Nitish also took personal interest in party’s efforts to sell this image.
Nitish undertook vigorous campaigning in the area and wanted to buy people with his slogan that when Bihar could develop, why not UP? JD (U)’s chief Sharad Yadav and other leaders also campaigned enthusiastically.
The Congress also tried to raise the issue of development and its star campaigner Rahul Gandhi hammering the point in almost his all his speeches.
However, Rahul and his party–men did not depend solely on this issue.
Not only in selecting candidates, but in campaigning as well, the party, like other players took care of social equations.
Keeping in view the bigger percentage of Muslim voters in Azamgarh and other districts, Congress kept the Batla house encounter controversy alive.
The second phase of polling did not show any signs of its becoming an issue.
The socially divided eastern UP does not seem to have changed its political style.
