Rahul's charm offensive fails to work

New Delhi: Even as the poll results poured in from Uttar Pradesh, it seemed as if the fruits of Rahul Gandhi's roadshows weren't showing on the results.

Rahul Gandhi's house in New Delhi wore a deserted look on Friday and except for the security people, there were hardly anyone visible. Rahul was biggest face of Congress' UP campaign. It seems his charm offensive has not worked in the state.

If the party could cross the 30 mark at the least, it would still have been some redemption. But the tally seems like last time as the counting progressed and it looked as if the party has stuck to status quo.

On its part, the party however didn't campaign much in the polls and it was almost entirely left to Rahul Gandhi and Salman Khursheed and Capt Satish Sharma who accompanied Rahul all along his roadshow. It remains to be seen if the party now blames the trio for the debacle or takes collective responsibility for the failure to revive it.

UPCC chief Salman Khursheed said Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi's campaign in UP was not really to fight the elections, but to build the party. He said the young leader has showed an attitude of courage.

Senior party leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal said that the target of his party was the decimation of the Samajwadi Party. "And we have succeeded in it," he said.

However, the party's failure to improve its tally in the polls might get overshadowed if the party becomes part of the power equation in the ultimate game by extending support to a Mayawati-led BSP Government.

There have already been enough hints that the party is keen on helping Mayawati form the government in the state if she falls short of the magic mark.

UPCC chief Salman Khursheed said on Friday that the party leadership will be open to all 'propositions'. He said the party would decide on its post-poll stand in the key state after all the results were out and a clear picture was available.

Khursheed said if BSP got 200 seats in the 403-member Assembly, then Mayawati could form the government on her own. But if she fell short of a majority then "everybody has a role" in the formation of the next government.

He, however, said the Congress was not looking to form a government or helping any party. Rather it was interested in re-gaining its lost moorings in the state where it hoped to get a higher percentage of the votes.