UP Election 2022: Can Priyanka Gandhi's new avatar revive Congress in UP?

Priyanka Gandhi is everywhere and seems like she’s also always up for a good fight against her opponents - be it the UP police or the BJP Goliath in the state. Clearly, we're talking about Priyanka 2.0 - she's street smart, she's not afraid to set foot into the maidan and fight adversaries head to head.

The Congress’s UP campaign is hinging upon the idea of Naari Shakti. From a separate manifesto for women that guarantees them safety and opportunity - to declaring that 40% of all tickets will be reserved for women, one of the most major poll pushes from the Congress this time around is that women must be a part of the political fabric of a country in order for it to develop and grow. Some of the salient promises of the ‘womanifesto’ include:
- Businesses with more than 50 per cent female workforce to get special incentives, including tax exemptions
- Mandatory creche facility at all government offices
- Students of class 12 to be given smartphone, while those pursuing graduation will be given a scooty
- Free public transport for women
- Three free gas cylinders in a year to every woman in the state
- 25 per cent jobs to women in police force and female constables to be posted in all police stations

While the other major players draw crowds of saffron supporters and those in laal topis - the congress’ supporter base this time around seems to be coming from young women participating in the Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti hoon marathons. A slogan that is being taken forward very heavily by the INC - and most definitely by Priyanka Gandhi, who looks amped up to take on any ladai that comes her way.

Priyanka Gandhi is no stranger to the cameras. And by the looks of it not afraid of the formidable UP police either. Which isn’t surprising given that their attempts to foil her plans have not worked out to well in their favour. - They tried stopping her from going to Sonbhadra after 10 people were killed - it failed. Tried to stop her again after the horrific Hathras gangrape and murder - it failed. Custodial deaths in Agra, Lakhimpur Kheri violence, every single time they tried to stop her - it failed.

While some are likening the Congress General Secretary to Indira Gandhi, the ground reality is slightly different. The Grand Old Party is not what it was four decades ago. Congress' sinking fortunes in UP have only gone from bad to worse in polls after polls. Even Priyanka's record is not something to boast about - despite her extensive campaign in Amethi and Raebareli - both slipped out of the Congress's hands in the 2017 elections. And then there was the humiliating loss of the family bastion of Amethi - that Rahul Gandhi lost to BJP's Smriti Irani in 2019.

As per most recent data, women have outnumbered men in getting their names registered on the electoral rolls in UP. There are currently 6.98 crore female voters on UP’s voter list. So on paper it looks like a stellar idea to chart away from the usual politics of caste and religion in the state and venture into the territory of women voters - but the jury is still out on if this will translate into any change in the voters’ mood on the ground.

With just 7 MLAs in the 403-seat Assembly - Congress's journey to victory is definitely going to be much tougher than the recent voyages that Ms.Gandhi has been taking. Will her heavy focus on issues of women and new knack for playing real politics take Congress the distance? Looks like we'll find out!