Sultanpur: A low-key personalised campaign focused on local issues could work again for Maneka Gandhi
Maneka follows a set pattern in her campaign rallies: She only raises local issues at rallies and does not target adversaries.
Outgoing BJP MP, Varun Gandhi, joined his mother Maneka Gandhi’s 2024 Lok Sabha campaign at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur on Thursday and asked the audience to note down his mobile number, which, he said, will work as a security cover for them.
“Take down my number… I am giving you security cover. Those who have my mother’s number have even greater security cover. If you face any problem, speak to me as a matter of right and tell me your problem...,” said Pilibhit MP Varun as he addressed nearly 10 public meetings before the campaigning came to an end in Sultanpur for the day. The constituency goes to poll in the sixth phase on May 25.
“I have seen my mother taking calls till 11 PM or 12 AM in the night and making efforts to resolve people’s problems...We have no enmity with anybody. We are there to help even those fighting polls against us and take them to hospital if they fall sick,” said Gandhi who did not get a BJP ticket for this election.
His observations sum up Maneka Gandhi’s style of campaigning in the constituency. Maneka, who is seeking re-election from Sultanpur, has addressed 20 to 25 public meetings every day since she started campaigning.
Many in the constituency address her as ‘Maa’. She herself tells the people this at her public meetings in the constituency, “I am a “Maa” (mother). I want all those living in my house to be happy. I want my house (constituency) to be beautiful...”
At a public meeting, she read out the names of all the village ‘pradhans’ from a prepared list and greets each one of them with a ‘pranam’ on the dais. She then tells the people that she may be a national leader but she is nursing her constituency like a mother.
“You all now know that I do “netagiri” (leadership work) out of Sultanpur. It's "matagiri" (work as a mother) inside Sultanpur.”
Listing the work, she has done for her constituency in the past five years, she said: “We have done a lot of work here. All the major roads have been built. We have done the needful in the power sector... transformers and wiring etc have been changed. Navodaya Vidyalaya, medical college, ITI (industrial training institute) and polytechnic have been set up. Two hospitals have also been built and another one has been upgraded. If you calculate the cost of this work, it will come to ₹3,600-3,800 crore. We have also given nearly 1.30 lakh (130,000) houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.”
“What more can I do for you?” she asks. "Do you want a powerful MP? If yes, then I want you all to vote for me. You will vote for me for your own help,” she tells them that she has never asked for the caste or religion of the people when they come to her for help.
Maneka follows a set pattern in her campaign rallies: She only raises local issues at rallies and does not target adversaries.
As part of the INDIA bloc, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded Ram Bhual Nishad against her. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has made Udraj Verma its candidate.
Nishad has focused his campaign on the allegations that the BJP will change the Constitution to scrap reservation if voted to power again. Nishad is refraining from targeting Maneka Gandhi. So is the BSP candidate.
“Even Maneka Gandhi’s adversaries have nothing to say anything against her. She has worked hard for the people’s welfare in the constituency. Her adversaries acknowledge this fact in private conversations. Other candidates fielded by the INDIA bloc and the BSP are no match for her,” said Neeraj Upadhyay an advocate and a resident of Sultanpur.
“The Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat is facing a direct fight between Maneka Gandhi and the INDIA bloc. Although attempts are being made to bring the Picchra, Dalit and Alpsankhyak (PDA) together and mobilise the people against her, the opposition has failed to do so. Maneka Gandhi has worked for the development of Sultanpur and the welfare of the people. She faces no charges, and this is working in her favour,” said UB Singh, head of department, sociology, at Feroze Gandhi Degree College, Rae Bareli.
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