UP Elections: Will Priyanka's 'women card' fetch votes?

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may have succeeded in creating ripples in the political circles in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections in the state through her women outreach events and promises of sops for women but the question still remains whether it will fetch enough votes for the Congress to make its presence felt in the electoral arena in the state.

While the UP Congress leaders exude confidence that Priyanka's efforts to woo the women voters will enable the party to reap electoral dividends, the rivals feel that it won't bring votes into the kitty of the Congress.

Political analysts, however, prefer to take a more cautious line and say that Congress' vote share may register an increase in the forthcoming polls but they are not sure if it will help the party get more seats.

Congress had secured a little over six percent votes in the 2017 assembly elections and managed to win seven seats. In fact, it was its worst performance and the party saw its vote share down by more than 5 per cent in comparison to 2012 assembly polls. The party got the lowest number of seats in 2017. In 2012, it had won 28 seats.

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Priyanka had held a series of events to reach out to the women in the run up to the polls and also addressed a few rallies in the BJP bastions of Varanasi, Gorakhpur and other places. She also visited the families of the deceased farmers after four farmers were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri violence and even spent a night in police custody while on the way there.

The 'women's marathons' organised by her party in different parts of the state also drew large crowds of girls and women and even her detractors were surprised by the impressive turnout. In fact, the women's marathon at Bareilly witnessed a stampede-like situation as a large number of women turned up to take part in the event.

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''The huge turnouts at the women's marathons clearly prove that Priyankaji's efforts will bear fruit....we will definitely do much better in the forthcoming polls,'' says Supriya Aron, a senior Congress leader and former Mayor of Bareilly.

The rival parties, however, feel that Congress will remain a fringe player in the state.

''Congress does not even have candidates for all the 403 assembly seats....Priyanka is not more than a tourist....No one takes Congress seriously in UP,'' said a senior state BJP leader while speaking to DH.

Samajwadi Party leaders also feel the same way. ''Congress' tally will remain the same....in one digit....the party does not have organisation at the grass-root level,'' said an SP leader.

The views of the common women, however, may offer some hope to Priyanka.

''Priyanka has made several promises for us.....women will be benefited greatly if she fulfills her promises....I think she may get more support among the women voters this time,'' says Mamta Tewari, a house maker, and a resident of Triveni Nagar locality of Lucknow. Ranjana Devi, a teacher and resident of Janaki Puram area in the state capital, also echoes similar sentiments.

Priyanka has promised a 40 per cent reservation for the women in government jobs if her party comes to power in UP, deployment of a woman constable at every police station in the state besides setting up a 'Mahila Chaupal' in every village. She has also promised that women will be given preference while providing jobs under the MNREGS.

Priyanka had earlier promised to increase the wages of the Anganwadi and Asha workers to Rs 10,000 and 3 free gas cylinders in a year besides setting up 75 skill schools across the state in the names of women icons of the state.

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