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Priyanka Gandhi on Monday rejected media reports that she wanted to contest against Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi from the Varanasi constituency but was stopped by the party high command. She said her decision to stay away from the contest was "personal" and her family would have "whole-heartedly supported" her if she ever wanted to.
Gandhi came out with a rare statement on Monday to make her stand clear. She reiterated her earlier remarks that she wanted to campaign only in Amethi, where her brother Rahul is contesting, and in Rae Bareli, where her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi is fighting.
There has been speculation that Congress is keen that Priyanka plays a bigger role in the party. "My brother, mother and husband (Robert Vadra) would whole-heartedly support me if I ever wanted to (contest)," Priyanka said.
Priyanka, mother of two, admitted that Rahul had on several occasions asked her to take the electoral plunge. "My brother has expressed to me many times that he thinks I should contest," but said she was not inclined to do so now.
"This certainly is my own personal decision and I will change it only when I feel from within me that I should," she said.
