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Lucknow. Amidst preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Congress has intensified its political activities. Senior party leader Rahul Gandhi will launch a strategy to woo the Jat vote bank of western Uttar Pradesh and the youth of the state through two big programs next week. On August 5, he will attend the tribute ceremony of former Governor Satyapal Malik in Baghpat and meet Jat leaders and farmer representatives, while on August 8, he will directly communicate with about 1.5 lakh students and youth in Prayagraj. Congress is calling it a campaign for organizational expansion, but political experts are seeing it as an attempt to create new social equations before the 2027 elections.

Rahul Gandhi’s first event will be in Baghpat, where he will meet Jat leaders and farmer representatives. Jat voters play a decisive role in the election results in several assembly constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh, including Baghpat, Baraut, Chhaprauli, Shamli, Kairana, Khatauli, Meerapur, Sardhana, Siwalkhas, Hastinapur, and Meerut Rural. Congress once had a strong support base in these areas, but over time, this support base has shifted to other parties. Now, the party is trying to regain its political hold among this segment.

Dialogue with youth in Prayagraj, focus will be on these issues

Three days after his visit to Baghpat, Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Prayagraj on August 8th, where approximately 150,000 students and youth are expected to attend. State Congress President Ajay Rai is busy preparing for the event, and plans have been made to bring students from around 20 districts, including Prayagraj, to the event.

According to sources, during his interaction with the youth, Rahul Gandhi is likely to discuss issues such as unemployment, paper leaks in competitive exams, delays in government recruitment, vacant positions, the education system, employment opportunities, contract recruitment, privatization, youth migration, and the Constitution and social justice. The Congress is attempting to establish a direct political dialogue with the youth through these issues.

Why the focus on youth?

The Congress party believes that the youth constitute the largest voter base in Uttar Pradesh. In recent years, irregularities in recruitment exams, lack of employment, and movements by competitive students have made these issues politically significant. The party believes that building trust among the youth could yield direct political benefits in the 2027 elections. Rahul Gandhi has also prioritized the politics of continuous dialogue with youth and students in recent years.

The challenge facing the Congress is not an easy one. The BJP is in a strong position thanks to government schemes, beneficiary groups, and organizational networks, while the Samajwadi Party is also working to strengthen its base through youth, competitive students, and PDA (Backward, Dalit, Minority) politics. Therefore, the Congress party will have to establish its position not only through large-scale programs, but also through sustained grassroots activism and organizational expansion.

Will the political equation change?

Political analysts believe that if the Congress maintains consistent contact with the Jat community and youth and strengthens both its movement and organization on these issues, it could reap political benefits. Currently, the Congress is viewing Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Baghpat and Prayagraj as the beginning of its new political campaign in Uttar Pradesh. All eyes will now be on how much this strategy strengthens the Congress in the 2027 election arena.