On Friday, the counting began for the civic polls in the state of Uttar Pradesh. These polls were being considered the first test of popularity for the Yogi Adityanath led BJP government.
Going by latest data, the BJP has successfully passed the test with the party leading in 14 out of 16 mayoral seats, with the BSP leading in the remaining ones.
The party which has been far from successful is the Congress. Apart from failing to win a mayoral seat, the party also suffered humiliation in Rahul Gandhi’s constituency Amethi after reports claimed that its candidates were trailing from all the Nagar Panchayat seats of the region. It indeed comes as no surprise considering the “Rahul Gandhi missing” posters that came up in Amethi earlier this year.
Amethi incidentally also saw the Samajwadi Party leading in Gauriganj, which was incidentally provided a municipal council status by Akhilesh Yadav in 2014.
The BJP too tasted success in the region after it was reported that the party won the region’s Nagar Panchayat. This meant that senior BJP leaders like Smriti Irani and Yogi Adityanath didn’t waste any time from taking potshots at Rahul Gandhi.
Yogi Adityanath took a sly dig at Rahul Gandhi by stating that those who are making tall claims in Gujarat could not even open their account in Uttar Pradesh:
यूपी में बड़ी जीत के बाद विरोधियों पर बरसे @myogiadityanath#UPCivicPollsResultpic.twitter.com/Qnu7eX6J8b
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) December 1, 2017
Smriti Irani who has been heavily involved in the constituency ever since she contested the 2014 lok sabha polls from there, too decided to take a dig by stating that people have rejected Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.
Far worse was yet to come for Rahul Gadhi after various twitter users too decided to lampoon the Congress vice-president:
Shiv Bhakt Rahul Gandhi’s party finished fourth in Amethi it seems. Why Amethi so anti-Hindu?
— Rahul Roushan (@rahulroushan) December 1, 2017
That awesome moment when you realized that even Independent candidate got more votes than Congress in Amethi.
CONGRESS ROUTED BRUTALLY IN AMETHI pic.twitter.com/legIWWetgX
— Dhaval Patel (@dhaval241086) December 1, 2017
Meanwhile tomorrow morning successful leader, creator of world class Amethi, @OfficeOfRG will ask a wrong question on Gujarat Dev Model. Media will clap
— Ashu?? (@muglikar_) December 1, 2017
A few gave credit to Smriti Irani for Congress’ debacle:
BJP winning Amethi. Congratulations @smritiirani. Pappu fail ho gaya!
— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) December 1, 2017
BJP winning Amethi. Congratulations @smritiirani. Pappu fail ho gaya!
— हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) December 1, 2017
BJP Delhi’s spokesperson too decided to make a contribution:
कांग्रेस अमेठी में चौथे नंबर पर । राहुल गांधी जिंदाबाद
— Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) December 1, 2017
It remains to be seen if the Congress party, to ensure a Rahul victory in Amethi, would now buckle up and do something along the line of what it did for Ahmed Patel in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections. But unfortunately, unlike its MLAs, its not possible to take the people “hostage” to achieve one’s political goals.
