Putting an end to years of speculations, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her formal entry into the politics on January 23, 2019. Her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, entrusted upon her the charge of poll preparations in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and appointed her AICC General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East. Dubbed as ‘Brahmastra’ or the weapon of the last resort of the Congress, the 47-year-old who reminds many of her grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has been pitched against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Eastern UP is the stronghold of the two BJP heavyweights- PM Modi who has his constituency in Varanasi and saffron-clad Chief Minister Adityanath who calls Gorakhpur his political home. Congress has divided UP into two sections for organizational purposes, and Jyotiraditya Scindia has been appointed as general secretary in charge of the western region of the state.
“I have not sent Priyanka and Jyotiraditya for just two months. I have sent them to take the Congress’ ideology forward in Uttar Pradesh,” said Congress President Rahul Gandhi. He also said, “I am very happy that my sister Priyanka will assist me in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls, she is very capable,”.
The mother of two who is currently in the US will be taking the charge in February, as per the AICC press release. It will be her debut in active politics, although she has been assisting her brother Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi in their respective constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli.
Even though Congress managed to sweep the recent polls in the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi’s capabilities have always been questioned and ridiculed by the Opposition. Within minutes of the announcement, taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Congress has accepted that Rahul Gandhiji has failed,”. Interestingly, Priyanka’s appointment comes only a few days after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) announced their grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the Congress out.
Priyanka Gandhi is faced with a difficult task, as the state which sends 80 lawmakers to the lower house is still under the effect of ‘Modi wave’. The region of Eastern Uttar Pradesh has not been a Congress bastion of late. In 2014 Lok Sabha election, the grand old party won zero out of 30 seats up for grabs in Eastern UP. However, CM Yogi Adityanath losing his own seat of Gorakhpur in a by-election is proof that his hardcore Hindutva actions have done some serious damage to the image of the saffron party in the state.
Though there is no official confirmation yet, speculations are being made that Priyanka Gandhi may contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from either Amethi or Raebareli. The Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad who has hitherto been in charge of the eastern UP was shifted to oversee poll preparations of the party in Haryana to make way for the young leader.
Her official entry into politics will also put her on the radar of personal attacks. Her controversial husband Robert Vadra is already under the grip of Enforcement Directorate for his land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan. BJP is most likely to use this card against her in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, the congressmen in Rae Bareilly are pumped up and celebrated her entry by raising the slogan “Priyanka nai Andhi hai, Doosri Indira Gandhi hai”.