The Congress hopes to galvanise the cadre by appointing Priyanka Gandhi as General Secretary in-charge of politically-crucial Eastern Uttar Pradesh.

‘Charismatic campaigner’

The party expects that she, along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, will be a “charismatic campaigner” during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. There is also a demand that she must contest from any of the family turfs — Amethi or Rae Bareilly.

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The elevation of Priyanka Gandhi helps the Congress to try the time-tested method of two power centres within the family.

Jawaharlal Nehru joined the Congress in 1919, the year his father Motilal Nehru became the Congress President. Indira Gandhi was the Congress President in 1959 when Nehru was the Prime Minister.

Both Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi were general secretaries under their mother Indira Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi was the general secretary when his mother Sonia Gandhi was the president of the party.

BJP takes a dig

Taking a dig at the family-centric leadership of the Congress, BJP leader and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Priyanka Gandhi deserved a wider role.

“Priyanka ji has become the General Secretary, my good luck to her. Since the party is a family concern, these kind of postings are nothing unusual, except to say with a caveat why has she been given the limited role of eastern UP? Perhaps her persona merited a more wider role,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi said he is happy to welcome his sister to the leadership and hoped that it will improve the party’s prospects in Uttar Pradesh.

Ideological fight

He said the fight against the BJP is ideological and the party will play on the front foot.

“We won’t play on the back-foot, we will play on the front-foot, be it Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh,” he said in Amethi. When asked whether his sister will contest elections, he said the decision is up to Priyanka Gandhi. Though he said the aim of the move is to strengthen the Congress, he did not rule out a possible alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the State.

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When asked about the decision of the SP and the BSP to keep the Congress away from the alliance, he said the fight of the three parties is against the BJP.

“SP, BSP have formed alliance in Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP. I have no animosity against them. I have to take forward Congress’ ideology and make place for Congress’ philosophy in Uttar Pradesh,” the Amethi MP said.

“I have said this earlier too that they have stitched an alliance and the aim of all of us is to defeat the BJP. There is no animosity against Mayawati or Akhilesh ... but we have to fight for the Congress’ ideology and will fight in Uttar Pradesh with our full strength ... if they want to talk there is no problem with it,” he added.

‘Enthusiastic cadre’

Congress members and leaders across the country were also upbeat about the announcement.

“Priyanka’s entry into UP will galvanise the party cadre to take on the BJP. Priyanka has always played a key role in decision-making but remained in the background. Her entry into active politics will strengthen the hands of Rahul, Sonia and crores of workers who will be energised to bring the Congress back to power and save the people of India from the mis-governance and divisive politics of the BJP,” said veteran party MP KV Thomas.

 

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