JOIN US“Priyanka Gandhi should enter into active politics... She already enjoys a huge support among the people in the state... She should start her political innings from UP,” state Congress chief Reeta Bahuguna Joshi said on Monday.
Bahuguna’s statement comes close on the heels of veteran Congress leader Vasant Sathe’s assertion that Priyanka should enter active politics if Congress was to regain its old glory.
“It will make a lot of difference...if she decides to tour UP. It will definitely boost our prospects in the next assembly polls,” Bahuguna added.
Although Priyanka has refrained from entering active politics, she has taken active part in campaigning for her mother Sonia Gandhi in Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency and for her brother Rahul in Amethi constituency.
In fact, it was because of Priyanka’s deft handling of the campaigning that Sonia and Rahul were able to campaign in other parts of the country during the general elections in 2004 and 2009.
Priyanka, during 2009 Lok Sabha polls, also handled the press diplomatically particularly while answering to BJP charges. “Do I look old?” she countered when asked to comment on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s remark that the Congress was the “party of old people”.
Known for her aggressive style, Priyanka had once marched to a police station to get an FIR lodged after some influential people had demolished the house of a poor Dalit in Raebareli.
But Priyanka confined herself to Raebareli and Amethi constituencies and did not campaign at other places barring a few places near the two constituencies. “Priyanka has great leadership quality and has mass appeal...she will certainly prove to be a big asset for the Congress if she decides to campaign in UP in 2012 assembly polls,” quipped another state party leader requesting anonymity.