Brahmin to lead Congress into UP polls

The Congress in Uttar Pradesh has finally begun shortlisting a Brahmin candidate to lead the party in the upcoming Assembly elections.

The party apparently has an eye on upper caste voters that have been virtually ignored by rival parties in the state.

Party leaders feel that the projection of a Brahmin leader would not only bring upper caste votes to the party but would also attract Muslim votes in large number because the traditional vote base of the Congress in UP, before the Ayodhya movement, had been Brahmin, Muslim and Dalits.

Political strategist Prashant Kishor has also suggested that the party should have a Brahmin leading the campaign and, for once, his suggestion has been whole-heartedly accepted by the rank and file.

Mr Kishor, earlier this week, even attended a “Brahmin Bhoj” in Kanpur, organised by former MLA Bhoodar Narain Misra in which he interacted with about 65 eminent members of the community to gauge their mood.

“Almost all those present at the event said that they were fed up with the politics being practiced by non-Congress parties in the state and were ready to rise above casteism and communalism to support the Congress,” said a person who was present at the meeting.

According to sources, the names doing the rounds to lead the party in the Assembly polls include Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, former UPCC president Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi, former union minister Jitin Prasada and former MP Rajesh Misra.

In fact, the district Congress unit in Pratapgarh has been passed a resolution demanding the projection of Mr Pramod Tiwari as a chief ministerial candidate in UP. The DCC president in Pratapgarh, Narsingh Prakash Misra, said that Mr Tiwari, with his long and active participation in state politics, was best suited for the job. Party workers in Allahabad are also rooting for Mr Pramod Tiwari.

Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi is another contender for the post but her detractors are now questioning her loyalty, especially after Mr Vijay Bahuguna, who is her brother, led the revolt in Uttarakhand.

The Congress high command is said to be considering the candidature of Ms Dikshit, but her prolonged absence from UP politics is a hindrance.

The names of former Union minister Mr Prasada and former MP Mr Misra are also doing the rounds. Their supporters claim that with age on their side, these leaders would be able to win over the youth too.