Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra step in to lead the Congress campaign in poll-bound states of Maharashtra and Haryana? This is the buzz in the Congress circles as demands pour in from the two states going for polls on October 21 for rallies to be addressed by Priyanka.
A demoralised Congress is yet to launch a visible campaign in Maharashtra, while the faction-ridden Haryana unit is trying to put up a show of unity with former chief minister B S Hooda and state unit chief Kumari Selja touring the state together.
Congress sources said there have been demands for programmes of Priyanka from both the states where the ruling BJP appeared to have the upper hand given its strong organisation and the upbeat mood after the reading down of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
“The party will soon take a decision in this regard,” a Congress leader said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and BJP working president J P Nadda have already visited Maharashtra and Haryana and chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Manohar Lal Khattar have already undertaken extensive tours of their respective states.
Rahul Gandhi had led the Congress campaign during the Lok Sabha elections and toured the country extensively. However, after the dismal performance of the Congress at the hustings, Rahul quit as Congress President and has confined himself to visiting his Lok Sabha constituency – Wayanad in Kerala.
Sonia Gandhi, who returned as interim Congress president, is unlikely to hit the campaign trail aggressively in the two states owing to her ill-health.
It is against this backdrop that there have been demands for Priyanka's presence at rallies and public meetings in the two states.
After remaining a backroom strategist for long, Priyanka took the plunge in active politics when she was appointed as AICC General Secretary in January and tasked with reviving the fortunes of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. Under her watch, the Rahul Gandhi lost his traditional Amethi seat to Union Minister Smriti Irani.
Priyanka has confined herself to Uttar Pradesh and is trying to put in a young team that would lead the Congress in the politically crucial state.