Why Priyanka Vadra won't help Congress in UP

It is almost certain that Congress president Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Vadra will be the main attraction of the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in early 2017. But it is equally certain that her campaign for the first time out of the Nehru-Gandhi bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli will hardly improve the Congress' fortunes in the electorally most important state of India.

Priyanka's campaign outside her brother and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's traditional seat of Amethi and Sonia's constituency of Rae Bareli will surely enthuse the party workers. But this enthusiasm will not be shared by the voters across the state and here are the reasons why:

1. Waning charisma

Priyanka's personal charm is not what it used to be a few years ago. The novelty factor is no more associated with her. Her weaknesses have been exposed by the Congress and she too has exposed her follies on some occasions.

In an open meeting in 2012, she committed a faux pas by including BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh in her list of fast developing states. She admitted immediately that it was a "slip of the tongue" and that she meant the then Congress-ruled Maharashtra.

"You have seen Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. All these states are progressing while Uttar Pradesh is not developing," she said. Then, on realising her blunder, added, "There is not such a good government in Madhya Pradesh. It was a slip of the tongue. I was talking about Congress-ruled states. I wanted to say Maharashtra but ended up saying Madhya Pradesh. Development is happening in the Congress-ruled states."

Also read - Future of Congress now lies with Priyanka-Vadra, not Rahul Gandhi

Then, in the midst of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections campaign, she courted controversy with her "neech rajneeti" (low level of politics) barb at the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. This handed an issue to Modi who milked it to the full, just as he had used Sonia's "maut ke saudagar" remark to his advantage in the Gujarat elections in 2007.

"They have insulted my martyred father on the soil of Amethi. People of Amethi will never forgive them for this wrong act. My workers at booths will reply to this low-level politics. Each and every booth of Amethi will give a reply," Priyanka had said.

Always on the look out for such opportunities, Modi gave befitting reply, playing up his humble "chaiwala" background.

"I have come from a poor background, therefore my politics is 'low level' politics for these people (Priyanka and the Congress party)... May be some people might not be able to see the sacrifices made by lower castes, their bravery and the important role they have played in taking our nation to the top... The height of this low level politics would free India from 60 years of misgovernance and vote bank politics and wipe down the tears of the common man... My low level politics has the potential to bring diametric change in the country and earn it a position as a powerful nation in the world," he replied in a series of tweets.

2. Highlighting Congress' desperation and Rahul's dispensability

Bringing in Priyanka will only convey two messages to the Congress workers and voters alike - that the party is panicky and Rahul is no saviour for them anymore.

Both the messages will further harm the Congress. While the party workers and supporters will get demoralised, the voters in Uttar Pradesh will not take the once-upon-a-time most powerful political party seriously or as an alternative to any of the other three main rivals in the state - the ruling Samajwadi Party, BSP and the BJP.

Also read - Why Priyanka will be a bigger failure than Rahul Gandhi

The Congress has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh since 1989. It has fared poorly in the last three state elections, winning seats just in the 20s in the 403-member Assembly - 25 in 2002, 22 in 2007 and 28 in 2012.

The future looks no brighter for the Congress in 2017 despite roping in Priyanka, their trump card. After camping for months together only in Amethi and Rae Bareli, she could just manage to save Rahul and Sonia respectively from defeat.

3. Vadra factor

The Congress could have still reaped the benefits of launching Priyanka throughout Uttar Pradesh but for her husband Robert Vadra's controversial image.

Vadra and realtor DLF's alleged dubious land deals are under the scanner. The Haryana government had set up the Justice SN Dhingra Commission which will shortly submit its report. It now looks like the worries of the Nehru-Gandhi family are about to increase.

4. Dynasty

Does the Congress have no one outside the Nehru-Gandhi family?

This question will become louder in the days to come. from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia to Rahul and now to Priyanka.

In between, Indira's younger son Sanjay Gandhi had also played a crucial role till his death in June 1980.

Also read - A Congress-mukt Bharat is fatal for India, not just the Gandhis

Rival parties, particularly the BJP, will sharpen their attack on this issue and the Congress will be defenceless.

The importance given to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty in the Congress also acts as a dampener for the more deserving leaders in the party who rise from the ranks on the basis of hard work and merit.

There is no denying the fact that the extension of Priyanka's role may invigorate and motivate a section of the Congress. But it is unlikely to have a ripple effect on a large section of party workers and the voters in general.