Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who always chooses not to react to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati's repeated outbursts against him, appeared to be in a belligerent mood on Wednesday, when he virtually threw down the gauntlet at her.
The young Congress icon who was in Ambedkarnagar to flag off the party's "chetna yatra" (awareness march) in 10 different directions for the much sought after revival of the party in the country's most populous state, drew massive crowds at a rally convened by him to mark not only the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar but also that of the 125th anniversary of the Congress party.
The high profile Congress general secretary virtually sounded the bugle for a symbolic launch of his party's campaign for the next state assembly elections ,due two years ahead. Mayawati's firm hold on voter in the dalit-dominated constituency might have deterred the Congress party from even fielding its nominee in the 2009 Lok Sabha election However , Rahul Gandhi was here to knock at Mayawati door to issue a warning that BSP's days were numbered.
"I am confident that with the support of the youth, Congress party will rewrite the destiny of this state which will experience a new era of development and employment", Rahul declared amids cheers from the crowds.
It was even more significant that Rahul chose the birth anniversary of BSP's most important icon Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary to give out his battlecry against the ruling party which considers Ambedkar its "exclusive property."
He sought to make it loud and clear that he was here to "take UP out of the woods where it had sunk on account of the politics of caste and religion." Visibly impressed with the massive crowd that braved the scorching 43 degrees , Rahul said , "this glorious state has suffered over the past two decades essentially on account of the politics of caste and religion that dominated the state during these years."
His declaration- "I am here to change that politics ; what UP needs is the politics of youth , the politics of development and employment" drew resounding applause.
In an obvious bid to remind the gathering
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