Lok Sabha election results 2024: In INDIA bloc's Uttar Pradesh upset, Priyanka Gandhi is the real winner | India News - Times of India (2024)

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh has proved to be one of the best political thrillers on the result day of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The 'UP ke ladke'

Rahul Gandhi

and Akhilesh Yadav gave a tough challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as the

INDIA bloc

took away from BJP's seat share. But the one leader who has emerged as the real winner of Uttar Pradesh as her efforts finally paid off in this Lok Sabha election.
The twin power seats

The Congress is all set to register victory at Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Rahul Gandhi, who contested from Rae Bareli this time along with Wayanad after Sonia Gandhi moved to Rajya Sabha, is leading by a huge margin and is about to break his mother's record.
Amethi, which the Congress lost in 2019 after BJP's Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi, in a surprise result, is also now back with the party. Congress's Amethi candidate Kishori Lal Sharma is set to win the Gandhi family bastion defeating BJP's 'giant-slayer'. Congratulating Sharma, Priyanka wrote on X: "Kishori bhaiya, I never had any doubts, I was sure from the beginning that you would win. Hearty congratulations to you and my dear brothers and sisters of Amethi!"

The favourable results come after a fierce campaign by star campaigner

Priyanka Gandhi

, who decided not to contest the elections but left no stone unturned to garner votes for the alliance.
The star campaigner
In one of her addresses to the party workers during the election campaign Priyanka said, "We have to fight together, with all our strength. Every single one of us has to be ready for the battle ahead." She urged party members to work tirelessly and fearlessly to secure victory in the polls and showed the way herself.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's campaign in Amethi and Rae Bareli showcased her personal approach, boldness, and impromptu style. Her interactions with the public were marked by a sense of connection and empathy. "I am your sister, your daughter. I have come to understand your issues and find solutions," she told a group of women in Amethi.
Priyanka's campaign focused on directly engaging with voters, especially women, and addressing their concerns. She visited villages, held small meetings, and participated in door-to-door canvassing. Her spontaneity was evident when she joined young girls performing a folk dance at a village in Rae Bareli, breaking into an impromptu jig herself.
Priyanka's campaign style was a departure from the traditional, stage-managed rallies often seen in Indian politics. Her approach was more personal, direct, and spontaneous, which resonated with the local population and is now translating into Lok Sabha wins.
The one who brought together 'UP ke ladke'
After the 2017 assembly election setback, the Congress-Samajwadi Party coming together for another election seemed impossible. But both the parties finally reached an agreement on seat sharing and Priyanka Gandhi was credited for breaking the deadlock.
While announcing the seat-sharing details in February, Congress UP incharge Avinash Pande made a special mention of Priyanka's role in reaching a consensus. It was Priyanka Gandhi who dialled up Akhilesh Yadav to iron out differences between the two parties. The call helped not just seal the deal but also ensured that Congress got a fair deal in the form of some important seats that it wanted, the sources added.
In 2017 last assembly elections, the Congress could win just one seat. This, even though Priyanka Gandhi led the party campaign. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections also, the party could win only the Rae Bareli seat which is represented by Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi's defeat at the hands of BJP's Smriti Irani in Congress bastion of Amethi represented a new low in Congress's electoral performance in the state.
But the 2024 Lok Sabha election results now say a different story all together.