India’s grand old party has finally used their trump card ahead of Lok Sabha elections in the country. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the sister of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, has been appointed the general secretary of AICC for UP (East).
Often dubbed the “Brahmaastra” or the mythical ultimate weapon of the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will debut as the party’s general secretary in charge of the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, which pitches her against the ruling BJP’s top two mascots, Prime Minister Narendra Modi – whose constituency Varanasi will be in her share – and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“I have given the UP mission to Priyanka and Jyotiraditya for two months…” Rahul Gandhi said today.
47-year-old Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is seen as a natural in politics but she has confined herself to the constituencies of her brother Rahul and mother Sonia Gandhi – Amethi and Raebareli – till now. In national and state elections since 2004, the mother of two has campaigned exhaustively in the family seats where the Gandhis enjoy almost royal status.
Sources say her appointment reflects the Congress’s realization that in a politically vital state like Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 parliamentary seats and is considered the route to power at the center, the party needs to up its game and cannot afford just one in-charge.
It also shows that the Congress leadership is keen on aggressively taking on PM Modi and the BJP in the coming election.
What else?
The Congress announced that Jyotiraditya Scindia will be in charge of western UP. The giant announcement came as Rahul Gandhi began a two-day visit to Amethi.
Congress leaders say Priyanka Gandhi’s plunge into party politics will galvanize the ranks that have been demoralized by the Mayawati-Akhilesh Yadav move to form an alliance without the Congress. It is also a challenge to the BJP.
Priyanka Gandhi’s husband Robert Vadra, a businessman being investigated for corrupt land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan. Robert Vadra congratulated his wife in a Facebook post: “Congratulations P… always by your side in every phase of your life.”
Congressmen say Priyanka Gandhi was always active in decision-making and played a key role in the alliance with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh election. She also reportedly oversaw the party meeting in which her older brother was anointed chief.
