Can Raj Babbar Bag U.P for Congress or Will Party’s Flower Power Overshadow Him?
July 26 : Raj Babbar, the Bollywood actor- turned politician has lately been appointed President of Pradesh Congress Party in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh. The three-time MP from the state has begun campaigning with a “27 saal, UP behaal” bus yatra. Many political cynics are wondering whether Babbar has enough calibre for the task which he has been assigned. Babbar has been appointed UPCC president in a crucial political scenario.
The fate of Congress in UP hangs in the balance. Paradoxically, political power has been eluding the grand old party for 27 years in a row- in the very same area which had hitherto been its stronghold. Quite naturally all eyes will be watching if he can manage to bail out his party. Raj Babbar came into the lime light with his vivid portrayal of a villainous character in Insaaf ka Tarazoo (1980) .
The hardcore U.P wallah made his political debut with V.P Singh-led Janata Dal..Later; he crossed over to Samajwadi Party and was returned to Parliament. He had a Rajya Sabha stint from 1994 to 1999. Babbar entered the 14th Lok Sabha for a second term in 2004. Following a conflict, the SP suspended him in 2006.
Babbar joined the Congress in 2008 and got re-elected to Lok Sabha in 2009, having trounced Dimple Yadav, wife of incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and daughter-in-law of Netaji ( Mulayam Singh Yadav). During Lok Sabha elections last year, he was defeated by his BJP opponent General V K Singh in Ghaziabad. To sum up, he is a true blue politician who takes advantage of each situation as and when it arises.
The U.P polls are still a few months away but no clear picture has emerged as yet. There is no inkling regarding agenda of each party. However Babbar will need to exercise abundant caution in everything that he does. His recent experience ought to open his eyes. The recently concluded assembly elections in Assam – where Babbar was a star campaigner- sounded the death knell of the 15 year old Congress regime led by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi—paving way for the first BJP government in the northeast.
Raj Babbar is a diehard “motor mouth”. In 2012, as Congress spokesman he claimed that he could get a meal in Mumbai for Rs 12. The remark caused huge embarrassment to the UPA leadership, prompting him to apologise later. He also said that poor in India can get a daily square meal within Rs 28- Rs 32/- Opposition parties mocked and jeered his statement. Still later, he compared Narendra Modi to Adolf Hitler which created quite a stir.
Presently Congress cannot afford such bloopers. So Babbar will needs to hold his tongue. Two, Congress veteran, octogenarian Sheila Dixit is being projected as the CM face of the Congress party. As daughter in law of erstwhile popular Congress leader Uma Shankar Dixit – a Brahmin by caste-Sheila may garner a chunk of the Brahmin votes in U.P. Three, speculation is rife over whether or not Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign for the party in Uttar Pradesh.
Till now Priyanka has never campaigned outside the family bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli . When she does, her charismatic personality and leadership qualities would influence voters’minds. That would be a shot in the arm for the Congress. Since both Sheila and Priyanka are familiar faces, will Babbar get sidelined when the duo come to the forefront? That remains to be seen.
It would also be interesting to watch how Babbar mixes politics and theatrics to boost Sheila Dixit’s image. For Babbar the time is now to try his utmost and provide the weakened, demoralized Congress party the much needed silver lining in a “Modi-yukt Bharat”.
