SP miffed as Rahul factor set to queer pitch for Dimple

But the party’s ‘friends’ at the Centre seem to have dealt an unexpected blow. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi — in a break from tradition as he hardly campaigns in by-elections — has announced he will address a public meeting in Firozabad on October 30 for party candidate Raj Babbar.

Rahul Gandhi’s decision has naturally raised a few hackles in the Samajwadi Party (SP). Party general secretary Mohan Singh said: “Rahul’s visit will not make much difference to the electoral prospects of our candidate,but the Congress has shown it no longer cares for political courtesy.”

The party worries that Rahul Gandhi will command the youth vote. In the Congress,however,nobody quite knows who invited the national leader. Chief spokesman of the state Congress,Subodh Srivastava said: “The state did not request for his presence. It appears Raj Babbar took the initiative.”

Firozabad is a prestige issue for SP. In the last Lok Sabha elections,Akhilesh Yadav had won from here and Kannauj. Mohan Singh said: “In the recent polls,SP did not field candidates against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Rahul in Amethi. The Congress reciprocated by leaving Mainpuri for Mulayam and Kannauj for Akhilesh.” The Congress did field someone against Akhilesh in Firozabad but he lost his security deposit.

That candidate got 6,000 votes only — a tally Raj Babbar is determined to overturn. While Babbar could not be contacted,Dr Girish,state secretary of the CPI and Babbar’s former mentor,said: “The party is confident this time that there will be a substantial increase in the vote share. Raj Babbar has worked hard,so has his daughter Juhi.”

Raj Babbar is hitting the SP where it hurts most: he has made Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ‘nepotism’ and Dimple’s ‘inexperience’ the bywords in his speeches. He is from Tundla,and Assembly segment of Firozabad,and had represented the neighbouring Agra Lok Sabha seat in 2004. These,Babbar says,is leverage enough to wean away the SP base.

Whatever the Congress’s hopes,and the SP’s insecurities,Firozabad is poised for a close finish. And the SP knows it. That is why Mulyama Singh Yadav,son Akhilesh Yadav,brothers Ramgopal and Shivpal Yadav,nephew Dharmendra,besides several MLAs and MPs and hundreds of party workers are sweating it out in the constituency from the day Dimple Yadav signed on the dotted line.