NEW DELHI: As speculation on Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s candidature against PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi refuses to die down, the party is considering if it will be worth making her contest from Varanasi. Congress party sources said several requests have been coming for Priyanka to campaign in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. She is also expected to hold road shows in Delhi next month.
“There has been a lot of thinking in the party if she should contest from Varanasi as in that case, she would have to be in the constituency for rest of the elections for putting up a serious fight against Modi. It can’t be limited to her just filing nomination and continuing with her campaigns elsewhere,” said party sources.
The sources also said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has given her a bigger role as general secretary, East UP, and she has a lot of responsibilities, including reviving the party in the state keeping in mind the 2022 Assembly polls.
Priyanka has also expressed willingness to contest from Varanasi while interacting with party workers in UP but said any decision will be taken by the party. The last date for filing nomination for Varanasi, which goes to poll in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 19, is April 29.Rahul and other top party leaders have repeatedly told the media to “wait and watch” and that a decision regarding her candidature will be taken soon.
Priyanka’s campaign has been so far limited to UP with just two exceptions - one in Wayanad in support of her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and another for Sushmita Dev, president of the All India Mahila Congress and party candidate seeking re-election from Silchar in Assam. The cadre in UP has been demanding that Priyanka should take on Modi. The PM is scheduled to hold a roadshow on April 25 and file his nomination on April 26 from Varanasi. Arrangements on a large scale are being made for the roadshow.
‘Shun politics of divisiveness’
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Fatehpur asked voters to help end the politics of ‘divisiveness and negativity’ and teach the BJP a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections. “Change politics not only of your area or for your needs, but for your future generations and to save the country, as the country is in danger,” she said at an election meeting.