This Article is From May 07, 2009

Have Rahul's overtures upset UPA allies?

Have Rahul's overtures upset UPA allies?

AFP image

New Delhi:

After re-examining Rahul Gandhi's explosive press conference on Tuesday, many now believe that he was not really reaching out to get more allies, but just being honest about the good leadership of Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu.

After all reaching out to allies will happen in earnest only after the voting is in. But in politics, get ready to be mis-interpreted, Rahul's comments on the Left and others has upset the Congress allies.

"There is a lot of common ground to do with the Left. There is a reasonable amount of common space...I am confident they will support a Congress PM," the Congress general secretary said on Tuesday.

He may be confident of the Left, but can he say the same of Mamata -- key Congress ally in West Bengal, who is upset with the young Gandhi wooing the Left just 10 days before India decides on a new government.

Mamata may have refused to comment, but other partymen were more direct.

Rahul overtures may not have gone down well with Mamata Banerjee, but the Congress in West Bengal is saying all is well between them and the Trinamool.

Says state Congress working president Pradeep Bhattacharjee: "As far as the state's perspective is concerned, it is fine, no problem. We are united and there are no cracks."

It wasn't just Mamata, Rahul's googly hit many Congress allies by praising Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He upset Lalu and Ram Vilas Paswan, who are fighting Nitish in Bihar.

And in the south, keeping post-poll options with Jayalalitha open, the young leader had warning bells going off in the DMK.

Criticism or praise, one thing is certain Rahul Gandhi has set the cat among the pigeons. But will it pay off or alienate even those the Congress currently has.

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