Priyanka faces big task of reviving UP Congress for 2022 assembly elections
LUCKNOW : Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra faces major challenges as she arrives here this week to interact with partymen and gear up the party organisation for 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. “Priyanka is likely to arrive here on a four-day tour on Wednesday,” said a party leader.
As Priyanka begins her interactions with different groups of faction-ridden party at Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters here, her first major challenge will be to make an assessment about the apparent party’s poor infrastructure and strengthen it further despite the UPCC’s claims of carrying out a revamp at different levels across the state.
The Congress has put up a poor show in the panchayat polls. Barring three block panchayats in Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra’s assembly constituency and a block panchayat in Amethi MLC Deepak Singh’s area, no other leader has been able to ensure victory of any party supported candidate in the rural polls. “Priyanka’s first major task will be to make an assessment about the party organisation infrastructure and gear it up for the 2022 polls,” said a functionary.
UP Congress Committee had claimed of putting up strong organisation teams at district and block levels following the party’s revamp. UPCC leaders had assured the party leadership of a good show in the panchayat polls that they said would make the party a strong claimant for power in the 2022 UP assembly elections. “As the UPCC had assured good results in panchayat polls, the party earmarked a large chunk of funds to the state party to fund the party supported candidates. Accusations have been made about misuse of funds too and the party needs to get an inquiry conducted,” said another party functionary.
Priyanka also needs to work on bringing old guards and other senior leaders together into party’s mainstream. A divide has persisted between the UPCC’s new team and the old guards following action taken against them. Efforts though have been initiated to bring the old guards into the mainstream, many senior leaders still find them isolated. A group of young leaders too had staged a protest in front of UPCC headquarters accusing the state party of not taking all party leaders together.
On whether Priyanka will meet the disgruntled leaders during her visit, a party functionary said, “Priyanka’s only programme in Lucknow is to meet partymen. We are not sure whether disgruntled leaders will be allowed to meet her.”
Priyanka has continued to have virtual interaction with the partymen. This will be her first visit to the state capital after a gap of more than a year-and-ahalf. Her programme to visit Lucknow had to be deferred more than once in view of restrictions in fight against Covid-19. A bungalow situated at Gokhale Marg here, meanwhile, has been refurbished to work as her residence during her tours to the state. The bungalow belongs to former union minister and senior Congress leader the late Sheila Kaul.