The Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party's formula to woo voters with laptops and tablet computers might work in some south Indian states but would not be of any help in Uttar Pradesh where the electorate is "much wiser", senior Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal has said.
Exuding confidence that the issue of development would be the main issue in the UP elections, Jaiswal said there is a growing realisation that non-Congress governments have "hindered" the growth of the state.
"The electorate in Uttar Pradesh is much wiser and politically sound and does not believe in hero worship. They will take the laptops, cycles, TV sets and all that the political parties offer but would not get influenced by it while exercising their franchise," Jaiswal said.
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UP voters much wiser: Congress
"This practice might pay dividends in some south Indian states where there is a practice of hero worship, where they have shown inclination towards film stars," the Union coal minister said, adding that the politically sound electorate in UP has always voted on specific issues.
The Congress leader also felt that doubts over the leadership qualities of general secretary Rahul Gandhi following the "not up to the mark" performance of the Congress in 2007 assembly elections would come to an end this time round.
"Then he was comparatively new to politics. He was neither the MP nor the general secretary of the party. But this time he has a lot of confidence and maturity besides the faith of the people in him," Jaiswal said.
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UP voters much wiser: Congress
To a question as to how the Congress hopes to capitalise on the charisma of Rahul Gandhi, Jaiswal said that he (Rahul) is aware of this shortcoming.
"He has made the network of voters strong enough through his hectic campaigning and extensive tours and this would make up for the organisational weakness," Jaiswal said.
"It was because he (Rahul) was there for the people of Bundelkhand in their hour of crisis, much before the elections were announced, that they have reposed faith in him," he said.
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