Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party and BJP`s
forumula to woo voters with laptops and tablet computers might work in some south Indian states but would not be of any help in UP where the electorate is "much wiser", senior Congress
leader Sriprakash Jaiswal 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 more 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 told reporters here.
"This practise 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 the politically sound electorate here
has voted on issues.
The Congress leader also felt that the doubts over the
leadership qualities of general secretary Rahul Gandhi
following the "not upto 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 MP nor 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.
To a question as to how with the poor organisational set
up, 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.
To a question on opposition to fielding of outsiders by
the party in some places, Jaiswal said there have been no
reservations on fielding people having some kind of Congress
background where there were no appropriate choices.
"When there are more than one claimants for the tickets
these things do take place but balance has been established
gradually", Jaiswal in whose parliamentary constituency Kanpur
factions of rival ticket seekers had recently thrown chairs at
each other, said.
PTI
