Will Priyanka Gandhi take on BJP in 2019?

She is likely to contest from Raebareli, her mother’s constituency

As Sonia Gandhi signals that she wants to retire from public life, it is more than likely that Priyanka will step into her shoes. Priyanka has been managing her mother’s constituency of Raebareli for years and if she stands for elections in 2019, it will be from here.

While she is not formally in public life, she has long exercised quiet background control of all party decisions. She has also placated and brought around disgruntled leaders such as Digvijaya Singh.

Her nearest public foray into politics was the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, which proved to be a disaster for the Congress. Priyanka abandoned the election midway as her son suffered an accident and she wanted to take care of him.

The relationship between the siblings and their mother is rock solid despite Delhi gossip to the contrary. The choice to join politics is for Priyanka to make, says a family friend.