The Congress in Uttar Pradesh is biding time till the storm in Delhi blows over and more favourable winds begin to blow.
The Congress in UP is feeling the heat of the intra party bickering in Delhi and senior leaders feel that this could cast a shadow on the UP elections.
“When the entire media focus is on the Delhi situation, it is better to, lie low for some time before we get going in Uttar Pradesh. Any move at this time could boomerang on the party,” admitted a senior AICC leader while talking to this correspondent on phone.
The allegations against home minister P. Chidambaram seem to have hurt the Congress most in UP where elections are due in the coming months.
“We have been raising the corruption issue against the Mayawati government and had hoped this would become a major poll issue in UP but now with the allegations against Chidambaram, this may not be very feasible. Though truce has been called between the warring ministers in Delhi, the damage cannot be so easily undone,” the AICC leader said.
The Congress in UP is also worried over the statements issued by Union ministers from time to time. “First it was Mr Sharad Pawar who kept adding fuel to the inflation fire by making uncalled for statements and now Mr Chidambaram has said the rich should pay more taxes,” said a former UPCC president.
. Such statements irk people who are already cracking up under the burden of rising prices. Union ministers would do well to restrain themselves until the UP elections where even the most trivial issue blows up into a major controversy,” said a former UPCC president.
The Congress in UP, while finalising the second list of candidates in Delhi, is yet to decide on the tone and tenor of the election campaign and issues to be included in the election manifesto.
“Again, it is the developments in Delhi that are keeping our leaders preoccupied and UP, therefore, is taking a back seat. Our main adversaries in UP are BSP and SP but both are also our allies at the Centre and keeping in mind the fragile political situation, we cannot go beyond a point. Our top leaders have to take decisions in this regard before we give directions to our candidates and get the campaign started,” said a senior state leader.