Keeping up with UP: Will Rahul convert crowds into votes in Nehru’s birthplace
Allahabad was a major centre of the Indian independence movement and known as the city of prime ministers
Rahul Gandhi and his niece Miraya Vadra spent time at the Nehru-Gandhi family's ancestral home, Anand Bhavan, during the Congress leader's visit to Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj for a student movement against paper leaks, exam irregularities, and rising fees. The city, once a hub for academics and politics, is now known for the Mahakumbh Mela, a six-week festival and the world's largest gathering of people at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
Prayagraj has been a Congress stronghold for decades, with seven prime ministers born or educated there. However, the Congress lost the Allahabad Lok Sabha seat in 1988 and regained power in the region only in 2024. Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron ki Goonj' rally resonated with Gen Z, much like a political rock show, and attracted large crowds.
Despite BJP's attempts to embarrass the Gandhis, the response was positive. BJP aims to capitalize on the crowds to convert them into votes before the 2027 assembly polls. Whether Rahul Gandhi can turn the crowds into votes remains to be seen.
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