NEW DELHI: Amid talks of a larger role for Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ahead of the 2024 elections, she will launch the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election campaign on Monday. Elections are due in November in the state.
Priyanka will kick start the poll campaign after performing Narmada Pujan on the banks of Narmada, followed by a roadshow and public meeting. She is also expected to announce the party’s promise to give Rs 1,500 monthly allowance to every woman in the state if it comes to power.
With Priyanka likely to be relieved from the position as the Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, the party is mulling assigning her as the star campaigner, especially in poll-bound states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. She will also be campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections next year.
While Priyanka was the star campaigner for the party in Himachal Pradesh, party leaders say that she has successfully campaigned in Karnataka polls along with Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. In Karnataka, Priyanka attended more than 20 rallies, which attracted huge crowds.
“Priyanka was a huge hit in Karnataka. The party wants her to focus more on upcoming crucial elections,” said a senior leader. Several leaders have credited Gandhi for the victory in Himachal Pradesh by chalking out poll promises of welfare schemes for women, youth, and employees.
The Congress won 40 seats in Himachal Pradesh, reducing BJP to 25 seats. Priyanka also held rallies in poll-bound Telangana early last month, indicating her increasing clout in the organisation. She will also be inducted in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) which is expected to be announced soon.
The Congress had emerged as the single largest party in MP after the 2018 Assembly polls but its government led by Kamal Nath collapsed 15 months later following a rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and over 20 MLAs loyal to him. The BJP returned to power.