But Akhilesh Yadav, son of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, is convinced that his party will show the door to Mayawati and go on to form a new government in the state. He said he is open to joining hands with the Congress if it falls short of majority provided Rahul Gandhi, who is spearheading the campaign on behalf of the Congress for the state assembly elections, is agreeable to the suggestion.
The two budding young politicians, however, do not see eye-to-eye on many issues. During his first poll rally in Lucknow on February 15, Rahul accused the Bahujan Samaj Party and the SP of making "only promises". The Congress leader tore a piece of paper at an election meeting to drive home the point that "mere lists" of assurances were of no use.
Rahul's dramatic act drew flak from Akhilesh. "Rahul seems angry. Earlier he used to get angry by folding hands; then he got angry by tearing up paper. Who knows, next time he might jump off the stage in anger," he said talking to the media after a rally at Tiloi in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh last week.
While rumour mills are abuzz that Akhilesh is eyeing the chief minister's post, he denies it. "Mukhyamantri to Netaji (as Mulayam is known in the political circles) he honge. Unke netriya main he nai sarkar banegi," he said during an informal chat with the media. (The CM will be Netaji.)
But
the Congress feels that SP is no threat. "Akhilesh may be young but he is no match to Rahul Gandhi. Rahulji's initiative has galvanised the entire political scenario in Uttar Pradesh. He has been striving hard to oust the Mayawati government. The voters are overwhelmed with his presence and they pour their hearts out to him. Take for example the people of Bundelkhand who opened up to Rahul because of the problems they faced from the Mayawati government," a senior Congress leader of Uttar Pradesh told rediff.com on phone from Lucknow.
What has irked the rival politician is Rahul's effort to give personal touch to his campaign by eating with the Dalits in their houses, spending time with the farmers and listening to their woes. With his sister Priyanka joining him in Rai Bareli and Amethi under the watchful eye of their mother Sonia Gandhi the future of the Congress, according to senior leaders of the party, is in the right hands and is looking bright.
Though Congressmen want to see him as prime minister, Rahul feels that Dr Manmohan Singh is the right person to hold this post. But for how long? This is a question, which is left unanswered by Rahul and the Congress.
Today, the bigger question is will he turn the tide in favour of the Congress in UP? "We will have to wait and watch," opine senior leaders of the Congress. While Akhilesh feels that his party will get a clear mandate, Rahul is unwilling to answer the question.
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