 "Priyanka Gandhi")
The chatter around “Priyanka lao desh bachao” has got so loud that Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala had to clarify at his routine news briefing that when the party has something to announce, it will.
For the moment, it appears that far from being a candidate for chief ministership, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will move out of Rae Bareli and Amethi and will campaign for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh (UP). For over a month, the Congress has been agog with speculation that Indira Gandhi’s grand daughter will take on the mantle of UP, and will be the ‘face’ of the party in the state.
The idea was planted by Prashant Kishor, who has been advising the party on its UP strategy. How much Priyanka Vadra’s charisma will help the Congress revive its moribund structure is not known. But there is no doubt that at every meeting, party workers have been asking for her help in campaigning in the UP elections due in 2016-17.
Sheila Dikshit, former chief minister of Delhi and Congress leader in UP, has said no one has asked her to become the Congress’s face in UP, but has said she would be open to taking up whatever job the high command asks her to undertake. UP experts say that the Congress is out of contention in the state currently.
However, If Priynaka Gandhi does take the plunge and can come to understanding with Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party, it could prove a significant hurdle for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There is no evidence yet that either grouping is in talks with the Congress. Some sort of announcement about the Congress’s leadership in UP should be expected after Thursday.
