Priyanka arrives for feedback on candidates
She will attend first poll committee meeting in Lucknow; likely to visit Rae Bareli, Amethi
LUCKNOW: : With the Congress gearing up for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly election, the party’s national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday arrived in Lucknow where she is expected to get feedback on short-listing party candidates at the poll committee’s first meeting.
While reviewing the election strategy, Priyanka will scrutinise the suggestions of party workers about the probable candidates at the first meeting of the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) in Lucknow on Friday.
Although the Congress usually makes a formal announcement about the candidates after taking PEC and Central Election Committee (CEC) routes, a number of senior leaders have confirmed that the party has already shortlisted about 40 to 50 candidates and many of them have been informally sounded out about the move.
“Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived here on Thursday, will attend the PEC meeting in Lucknow on Friday. She will interact with party leaders and get their feedback on the selection of candidates. A list of 40 to 50 (would-be) candidates has been worked out and Priyanka has spoken to some of these leaders in recent weeks. The PEC and the party’s advisory and strategy committees will also take a call on the issue of going it alone or likely alliance for the 2022 polls,” said a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity.
As many probable candidates may include UPCC office bearers, the party could consider making arrangements to run the organisation during the polls. Those whose names are being considered final and are set to figure on the first list for the 2022 polls include Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Kumar Lallu, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Aradhana Mishra “Mona”, former MLA Lalitesh Tripathi, former MLA Anugraha Narain Singh and former MLA Pankaj Malik, along with some other UPCC office bearers.
After her arrival, Priyanka was closeted with senior party leaders to get feedback on various issues.
“Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will meet secretaries and district/city unit presidents who have been asked to come up with a report about the activities of the party organisation in the districts under their charge,” said UPCC organisation secretary Anil Yadav.
Priyanka is likely to undertake a visit to Rae Bareli on September 12 and 13. Rae Bareli is the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
A party leader said there was the possibility of Priyanka’svisit to Amethi as well.
“If Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is holding review sessions it may be a bit late. This should have been a constant process and not undertaken only at the time of elections,” said Professor SK Dwivedi, former head of the department of political science, Lucknow University.