Lucknow - Parallels were drawn between the two scions during the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and more than often it was Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi who hogged the limelight as compared to the state's Samajwadi Party general secretary, Akhilesh Yadav.
However, with the results going completely in favour of the SP, a calm Akhilesh has emerged a much better leader than an aggressive Rahul, whose party seemed set to finish a dismal fourth yet again.
During his campaigns in the state, Akhilesh had recently said: "Rahul seems angry. Earlier he used to get angry by folding hands. Then he got angry by tearing up paper (SP's manifesto). Who knows, next time he might jump off the stage in anger."
Akhilesh was reacting to Rahul's hostile gesture during the latter's election rally in UP. His comment was a rare moment when the Yadav leader seemed to lose his cool. Otherwise, he had a measured answer for every provocation.
"I know Akhilesh went to a public school... but he doesn't want English and computers for you," Rahul had said addressing an election rally.
To this, Akhilesh had reacted: "That is not true... It is in the manifesto."
Akhilesh's entire campaign at times looked designed to answer his critics, with the strongest of them being Rahul.
Akhilesh took pains to sound humble, often owning up to mistakes of the past. The SP's unsavoury reputation of being a party of goons was one he tried hard to change. He quickly learned that it was the way to the heart of Uttar Pradesh's restive youth, not taunting them for being treated as beggars in other states as done by Rahul.
On the face of it, there was not much to separate the two. While Rahul is 41, Akhilesh is 37. Both were catapulted forward through dynastic politics. Both ran gruelling campaigns clocking over 200 rallies. But what Uttar Pradesh desired was a man to call its own, a man who would not abandon it the moment the election bugles were packed away.
Away from the media glare cornered by Rahul, Akhilesh conducted his cycle yatras. His Kranti Rath rolled out in September 2011, three months before the election dates were announced.
Rahul's sudden dashes to UP made the splashes. However, Akhilesh quietly pedalled away with his road trip coming to a halt only before the last phase of polling.
Akhilesh's transformation as the future of Samajwadi Party after his father is complete. However, what remains to be seen is whether Akhilesh has the natural leadership qualities and the organisational prowess of the senior Yadav.
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