Priyanka, Dimple figure in Cong-SP star campaigners' list

Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka has been included in the list of star campaigners.  The move has given credence to reports that she may campaign for the Congress-SP alliance candidates beyond the Nehru-Gandhi bastions of Amethi and Raebareli.

The Congress’s list of 40 star campaigners, which was submitted to the Election Commission (EC), includes Sonia, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, party leaders Sachin Pilot and Jyotiraditya Scindia among others.

A state Congress leader here said that Priyanka was likely to campaign across Uttar Pradesh, adding that the venues would be decided later.
 
Though Priyanka has managed campaigning duties for Sonia and Rahul during successive general elections, she has so far not stepped out of Amethi and Raebareli despite a clamour among the Congress workers.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife and Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj Dimple Yadav is among the star campaigners for the Samajwadi Party (SP), indicating that she was ready for statewide campaigning.

Though Dimple has been in active politics for quite some time, she has so far not campaigned beyond Kannauj.

The SP leaders here said that Dimple had started taking active part in party activities ever since the family feud broke out. She had also played a crucial role in persuading her father-in-law and SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav to pay a visit to the party headquarters immediately after the release of the election manifesto a few days ago.

 Sources in the SP and Congress said that Priyanka and Dimple could address joint election meetings to give a boost to the alliance candidates.

Sources also said that Priyanka and Dimple had played a crucial role in stitching an alliance between the Congress and the SP.
DH News Service