Cong, BJP battle it out in UP
Priyanka Gandhi makes first big political appearance at a roadshow in Lucknow with party president Rahul, UP west in-charge Scindia
The Congress will play “on the front foot” for the Lok Sabha elections and fight to form Uttar Pradesh’s next government, the party’s president Rahul Gandhi said on Monday during a roadshow in Lucknow that drew thousands of people and marked the political debut of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The two siblings and Congress general secretary incharge for western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia travelled for six hours on the top of a vehicle after arriving at the airport in Lucknow, crossing roughly 15 km through streets flooded by excited supporters and lined with posters welcoming Priyanka Gandhi.
“I have told both of them [Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia] 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,” Rahul Gandhi said at what has been billed as the party’s biggest event yet in the run-up to the general elections due this summer.
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 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.”
On Monday, as she stood atop a bus carrying images juxtaposing her with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, she waved at supporters and the Lucknow public jostling to get a glimpse.
The images drew on the striking resemblance that Priyanka shares with her grandmother Indira. A majority of the hoardings also read “Indira Is Back”.
Political analysts said Priyanka Gandhi’s entry will help energise the party. “Yes, Monday’s roadshow will help in rejuvenating the Congress now. In the long run, Priyanka and Jyotiraditya’s challenge will be to strengthen the party at the grassroots,” said SK Dwivedi, former head of the department of political science, Lucknow University.
Congress president Gandhi touched on the issue when he told the incharges: “Give a push to workers at the grassroots. This is your responsibility. Those who fly high will not work and if you push the grassroots level workers, the Congress will gain strength.” UPCC president Raj Babbar, senior UP leaders RPN Singh, Anu Tandon, and others accompanied the three leaders on the roadshow.