Gandhi, during his spirited campaign, raised several issues such as farmers distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in all these states. He also raised state-specific issues such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and farmers' suicides in Rajasthan. His promise of a loan waiver to farmers in the Hindi heartland states seems to have struck a chord with the people in villages. "With sheer grit and determination, against all odds, defying state coercion and intimidation, Rahul Gandhi has scripted an amazing turnaround for the Congress in a short span of one year," Congress leader Manish Tewari told PTI.
Gandhi was elected unopposed as Congress president on December 11, 2018. Moving forward into 2019, the results in the state polls will give him the "moral hue" to be able to negotiate an all pervasive alliance in order to see the back of the BJP, Tewari said. Referring to Gandhi's energetic campaign, he said it started off with Gujarat last year, and the Congress chief has demonstrated the tenacity to stay the course over the past one year.
Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Gandhi's dynamic campaign as the reason for party's good showing. "Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the 'man of the match' and the 'man of the series'," Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said.
Sanjay K Pandey, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a political commentator, said Gandhi with his campaign energy has "demolished" the perception of being a "reluctant politician". "This was said about his father also. There is some truth perhaps that Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had some reluctance (in taking to politics).
"He did make some comments which led people to believe that he was not very keen on politics, but now that has changed. Even in earlier elections he has led an energetic campaign, but probably not to this extent," Pandey told PTI.
The verdict, with the Congress poised to form governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, coincided with the first anniversary of Rahul Gandhi's elevation as party chief, raising his stature as a leader and enhancing his image as a serious politician.
The outcome is expected to energize the Congress rank and file who have been largely starved of election victories since its 2014 debacle. The latest victory is the first time since 2014 when the Congress has defeated the BJP in a straight contest.
While addressing a press meet on Tuesday, Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi taught him "what not to do" and he also "learnt a lot" from the massive defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi also said the prime minister got a massive mandate but refused to listen to "heartbeat of the country".
"I was speaking to my mother yesterday and I was telling her that the absolute best thing for me was the 2014 election. I've learnt a lot from that election." The most important thing that he learnt from the 2014 polls was humility, he said. "This is a great country and the most important thing in this country is what the people feel," he said. "Frankly, Mr Narendra Modi taught me the lesson -- what not to do," Gandhi said.
Gandhi was able to effect an organisational coherence in the poll-bound states, overcoming one of the party's weaknesses.
He made organisational changes and put Kamal Nath as party chief in faction-ridden Madhya Pradesh. The decision was made in April, barely seven months before the Assembly polls leaving the new state chief little time to build his campaign.
The results are expected to lead to questions in the Congress if its decision not to project a Chief Ministerial candidate was the best strategy.
Gandhi has indicated that the Congress will continue to build its campaign in the Lok Sabha elections around the issues it raised during the Assembly polls. He has also said that the opposition parties will unitedly fight the polls.
(With inputs from agencies)