Lucknow:
Leads in Uttar Pradesh show that the Congress is headed for roughly 55 of the 403 seats. But the party now has to confront the reality that Rahul Gandhi has failed to serve as the much-needed lightening rod that he was presented as. Mr Gandhi staked his prestige by fronting the campaign in the state.
Sonia Gandhi, and even Priyanka and Robert Vadra campaigned hard as show of support for Rahul.
The BJP, which promised to be the scene stealer in the early trends before settling into the number three slot, said Mr Gandhi must take responsibility. But the Congress has been working hard to insulate him. Its president in UP Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that she will take the rap.
On NDTV this morning, minister Ashwini Kumar said, "we are disappointed by the trends" but praised Mr Gandhi for helping the Congress to "for once be seen as a party in the reckoning for a major role" and for "galvanising the youth."
The BJP says that the Congress has been punished by voters for trying to communalise the elections. Mr Gandhi and other leaders focused heavily on a minority sub quota that promises reservation in jobs and government universities. That move has boomeranged with the weight of a colossal defeat. "Polarisation of votes is not good for the polity or for a party," said Mr Kumar. "Communal polarisation distorts an election but we can only comment after we have all the facts," he added.
To add to Congress' problems, Rahul Gandhi was judged as a Delhi leader who will at best visit the state but will not be stationed there to lead it.
The BJP, savouring its success, said the Congress had created its own defeat. "They tried very hard to hand us the election on a platter," said the party's Chandan Mitra, but he said the BJP has earned it's victory.
The Congress has said in recent weeks that it is working on a long-term plan for power in UP, and wanted to use this election to build on its share. In the last elections, it had got 22 seats.