LUCKNOW: If everything goes as per plan, Congress might relieve its general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of UP duties. At present, she is the general secretary in charge of the state, but the party think tank beleives that her presence shouldn’t be limited to just one state in the 2024 LOk Sabha elections.
Though a final decision in this regard would be taken only after Rahul Gandhi returns to India from his US tour, sources in the Congress said that everyone saw how Priyanka Vadra along with Rahul Gandhi held rallies and campaigned in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, the two states where Congress emerged victorious.
She always deserved a bigger role, a senior functionary told TOI.
Another source said that Priyanka’s role with regards to UP would depend on how the alliance of opposition parties is formed. If Congress contests elections in UP in alliance with opposition parties, Priyanka might leave the role of UP in charge and focus on other states, but things might be different if the party goes it alone in the LS polls.
In case Priyanka is relieved of her UP role, names of former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat, veteran Tariq Anwar, former Union minister Bhanwar Jeetendra Singh and Deepender Hooda are doing the rounds as possible replacements.
She was made UP in charge months before 2019 Lok Sabha elections with an objective to revive the Congress in the state. His brother Rahul Gandhi, however, chose to contest from Wayanad in Kerala, along with pocket borough Amethi. Rahul lost from Amethi to Smriti Irani.
However, Priyanka’s sojourn in UP since then has not been very fruitful for the Congress as it shrunk to its minimum tally of one seat of Rae Bareli which was won by Sonia Gandhi. Even in Assembly elections of 2022, Congress could win only two seats.
However, the party got a morale-booster from victories in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Both Rahul and Priyanka had campaigned vigorously in the two states. Sources said that Priyanka is now planning to launch an aggressive campaign in Madhya Pradesh which will also go to the polls later this year.
Though a final decision in this regard would be taken only after Rahul Gandhi returns to India from his US tour, sources in the Congress said that everyone saw how Priyanka Vadra along with Rahul Gandhi held rallies and campaigned in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, the two states where Congress emerged victorious.
She always deserved a bigger role, a senior functionary told TOI.
Another source said that Priyanka’s role with regards to UP would depend on how the alliance of opposition parties is formed. If Congress contests elections in UP in alliance with opposition parties, Priyanka might leave the role of UP in charge and focus on other states, but things might be different if the party goes it alone in the LS polls.
In case Priyanka is relieved of her UP role, names of former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat, veteran Tariq Anwar, former Union minister Bhanwar Jeetendra Singh and Deepender Hooda are doing the rounds as possible replacements.
She was made UP in charge months before 2019 Lok Sabha elections with an objective to revive the Congress in the state. His brother Rahul Gandhi, however, chose to contest from Wayanad in Kerala, along with pocket borough Amethi. Rahul lost from Amethi to Smriti Irani.
However, Priyanka’s sojourn in UP since then has not been very fruitful for the Congress as it shrunk to its minimum tally of one seat of Rae Bareli which was won by Sonia Gandhi. Even in Assembly elections of 2022, Congress could win only two seats.
However, the party got a morale-booster from victories in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Both Rahul and Priyanka had campaigned vigorously in the two states. Sources said that Priyanka is now planning to launch an aggressive campaign in Madhya Pradesh which will also go to the polls later this year.