New Delhi: Post-Firozabad, Rahul Gandhi may have changed the way political leaders treat byelections, with a regret in Samajwadi Party that Mulayam Singh Yadav chose a doctrinaire approach to the unwritten code that big leaders do not campaign in minor battles. The Firozabad battle appeared tough from the start but, sources said, the SP chief rebuffed even a hint that he hit the polltrack. He apparently cited the code that senior leaders do not campaign in byelections. Another hitch was that arch rival and chief minister Mayawati decided to keep away from canvassing. The SP chief is learnt to have cited her case to stick to his decision despite the high stakes involved -- his daughter-in-law was contesting from Firozabad and Bharthana and Etawah are part of his fief where he could not risk a defeat. 
The local party unit and son Akhilesh were asked to take care of the battle. In hindsight, it proved a costly decision, especially as Congress's heir apparent swept the poll turf with a visit, tilting the scales in favour of Raj Babbar. A study of the polling trend, which has left SP crestfallen given the way it was blown away in Mulayam's backyard, points to a lukewarm turnout from Yadavs while Babbar camp led by AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh mobilised voters in big numbers to the booths. Also, Lodh votes do not seem to have backed SP despite campaigning by Rajvir Singh, son of Kalyan Singh, and the latter's own meetings in three places on November 2. The Lodh-Yadav combo and Muslims used to be the winning formula for SP. While it is open to question if campaigning by Mulayam would have turned out a different result, his decision to stick to the political code on bypolls over pragmatism proved a misjudgement, more so as it was dictated by Mayawati. The BSP chief's decision to abstain was apparently to shun the public gaze as she was not getting the best of response. The negative sentiment in Lok Sabha polls may have played a role in such a course of action. Now, as talk about Rahul's role in Babbar coup gets stronger, Firozabad may turn a watershed in the rules governing participation of satraps in bypolls. By convention, political bigwigs stay away from them and the only leaders who take them seriously are chief ministers. Their compulsion is that theOpposition seizes upon defeats to dub them a referendum on their rule. But Rahul's Firozabad trip may prompt leaders to shed their inhibition.
The local party unit and son Akhilesh were asked to take care of the battle. In hindsight, it proved a costly decision, especially as Congress's heir apparent swept the poll turf with a visit, tilting the scales in favour of Raj Babbar. A study of the polling trend, which has left SP crestfallen given the way it was blown away in Mulayam's backyard, points to a lukewarm turnout from Yadavs while Babbar camp led by AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh mobilised voters in big numbers to the booths. Also, Lodh votes do not seem to have backed SP despite campaigning by Rajvir Singh, son of Kalyan Singh, and the latter's own meetings in three places on November 2. The Lodh-Yadav combo and Muslims used to be the winning formula for SP. While it is open to question if campaigning by Mulayam would have turned out a different result, his decision to stick to the political code on bypolls over pragmatism proved a misjudgement, more so as it was dictated by Mayawati. The BSP chief's decision to abstain was apparently to shun the public gaze as she was not getting the best of response. The negative sentiment in Lok Sabha polls may have played a role in such a course of action. Now, as talk about Rahul's role in Babbar coup gets stronger, Firozabad may turn a watershed in the rules governing participation of satraps in bypolls. By convention, political bigwigs stay away from them and the only leaders who take them seriously are chief ministers. Their compulsion is that theOpposition seizes upon defeats to dub them a referendum on their rule. But Rahul's Firozabad trip may prompt leaders to shed their inhibition.
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