In roadshow of strength, Priyanka storms into UP
Rolls out ‘Mission UP’ to revive Cong’s political fortunes in state
LUCKNOW: Newly-appointed Congress general secretary (east UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra formally made her political debut on Monday by launching her party’s ‘Mission UP’ with a roadshow following a rousing reception by party leaders and workers at Lucknow airport.
Priyanka Gandhi’s entry into active politics, which had been a subject of much speculation for years, comes at a time the Congress is aiming for a turnaround in Uttar Pradesh, which sends more members (80) to the Lok Sabha than any other state in the country.
Party leaders and political leaders see her entry – she has been designated the general secretary incharge for UP east — as a crucial boost to cadre morale at a time when two regional powerhouses (SP and BSP) decided to keep the Congress out of a formidable coalition.
While she did not make any comment during Monday’s event, she had on Sunday sent an audio message to party workers, saying: “I wish together we will begin a new politics and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone’s voices will be heard. Let’s establish a new future and politics.”
As the ‘rath’ having her picture superimposed on Indira Gandhi’s photograph rolled on, a beaming Priyanka, accompanied by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary (west UP) Jyotiraditya Scindia, waved at partymen jostling to get a glimpse of her.
All charged up, the Congress
workers celebrated Priyanka’s arrival by dancing to the beats of ‘dhol’ and tunes of Bollywood patriotic songs. If Priyanka was the star, Rahul was the leader who indicated that Priyanka and Jyotiraditya were his lieutenants.“I have told these two that the Congress began from UP, and it cannot be weak here. The two have to strengthen the party here
to first perform well in Lok Sabha elections and then form the government in UP after 2022 assembly elections.” However, the focus remained on Priyanka during the roadshow. It was a selfie and mobile photography galore with enthusiastic partymen and onlookers taking vantage positions to click photographs.
As the trio, along with UPCC
president Raj Babbar, senior UP leaders RPN Singh, Anu Tandon, and others embarked on the roadshow through major thoroughfares, Congress workers showered rose petals and marigold garlands at the cavalcade and blew conch shells.
› UP is the centre and heart of the country. I have made Priyanka and Scindia general secretaries and told them that they have to fight injustice that is rampant in the state RAHUL GANDHI, Congress president
There is a vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, it’s her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe ROBERT VADRA, Priyanka’s husband
Aao dekhe zara, kisme kitna hain dum. Jamke rakhna kadam mere saathiya. It is clear. This government will go, change is around the corner JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA, Congress general secretary in tweets
Priyanka’s striking resemblance with her grandmother and former prime minister late Indira Gandhi was complemented with a sizable number of hoardings all along the route proclaiming “Indira Is Back”. Many equated her gestures — waving and greeting with folded hands – with that of Indira.Slogans like ‘Leher nahi ye aandhi hai, naam Priyanka Gandhi hai’, ‘Indira is back’, ‘Dehan karo Modi ki Lanka, Behen Priyanka, Behen Priyanka’ and ‘Iradey prabal, hoga mazboot kal’ filled the air.
“Aa gayi badlaav ki aandhi, Rahul sang Priyanka Gandhi” was one of the favourite slogans of Congress activists, who wore caps and T-shirts with Priyanka’s picture embossed on them.
Yet, all the pro-Congress slogans were overshadowed by the intensity and frequency of the chants of “Chowkidar chor hai”.
Using the campaign to target the BJP government on Rafale deal, the Congress president showed a cardboard cut-out of Rafale jet to the crowd.
Reacting to it, Congress workers shouted, “Gali gali mein shor hai, chowkidar chor hai.’
At Burlington Crossing, the leaders had to get off their bus as overhead wires dangled too close to the vehicle. Rahul and Priyanka sat atop an SUV till Lalbagh. When the roadshow reached Hazratganj, Rahul and Priyanka got down from their vehicle to garland the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dr BR Ambedkar. The Congress workers had decked up key roundabouts with party flags. The party’s office at Mall Avenue was painted afresh and decorated with hundreds of kilograms of marigold and other flowers to welcome the leaders.
When the cavalcade reached Congress office at Mall Avenue, party workers shouted slogans against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP president Mayawati.
Their slogan changed from ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ to ‘Bua and Babua Dalal hain’.
The entire route of the motorcade of the Gandhi scion was dotted with posters, hoardings and banners welcoming Priyanka.
Some of the posters depicting Priyanka as Goddess Durga surfaced in Lucknow ahead of the roadshow. In the poster, Priyanka was shown sitting atop a tiger. A Hindi slogan accompanying the picture read: “Sister Priyanka Gandhi is the form of Mother Durga”.
Countering the Congress campaign, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers took a jibe at Priyanka’s state visit by putting a flex reading that Congress general secretary is here to rob the state.
Hundreds of Congress workers in pink attire, calling themselves the members of Priyanka Sena, were seen shouting slogans in her support.
“Desh ke samman mein, Priyanka ji maidan mein, Maan bhi denge, samman bhi denge, waqt padega toh jaan bhi denge (To honour the country, with Priyanka in the field, we’ll give respect and if needed, we’ll lay down our lives as well),” read the slogan on their T-shirts, which had her photo too.
“With the Priyanka Sena at Nehru Bhawan, Lucknow. It’s almost like a celebration here (sic),” tweeted Sushmita Dev, president of the party’s women wing.
The procession of party workers and supporters around Priyanka’s bus caused a traffic jam in various parts of the city.
Ahead of her maiden visit as general secretary, Priyanka had on Sunday said: “I wish together we will begin a new politics and you be a part of it. Youth, women and marginalised, everyone’s voices will be heard. Let’s establish a new future and politics.”
The Congress also announced Priyanka’s Twitter handle shortly before she landed in Lucknow. Rahul spoke at two places –Lalbagh and UPCC headquarters. Priyanka did not say a word.