Congress ‘to use sarcasm’ as weapon in UP

With the first round of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s Deoria to Delhi Yatra in its last stage in Uttar Pradesh, the party is now planning to use sarcasm as a weapon to target its political opponents, including BSP supremo Mayawati, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Posters have started coming up during Mr Gandhi’s rallies, demanding Rs 15 lakh which was promised by the BJP during the Lok Sabha campaign.

At one of the rallies, fake cheques were distributed under the name of kangal bank. The cheque number was 420, the amount Rs 15 lakhs and the issuer of the cheque was BJP — Bhartiya Jumla Party. It bore the signature of “Pradhan Sewak” as Feku. These cheques and posters which have been put up are distributed by social organisations. Apart from cheques, posters with interesting slogans are also being used: Kab aaega kala dhan, pooch raha hai jan gan man, Bhool gae sab kuch, yad nahi ab kuch, 15 lakh kahe the sach much.

A poster also depicts how the Congress under the stewardship of Mr Gandhi made the government backtrack on the Land Acquisition Bill. The slogan reads, Rahul Gandhi ki lalkar, zameen chhorr bhagi sarkar.

Perhaps the Congress does not want to get involved with these posters directly as they can come under severe criticism. That is why these posters and cheques are being distributed by social organisations. But the election symbol of the Congress can be spotted on these posters.

Congress’ election strategists feel that such diversions are useful in campaigns as they leave an impact on the minds of the prospective voter.

The Congress has attacked the Centre over its pro-rich industrialist policies which ignores farmers and made this its election plank. Therefore, the focus is on land and farmer issues, which include farm loan waiver, reducing of electricity bill reasonable minimum support price and also land acquisition.