Priyanka negotiated alliance at Rahul's behest, says Congress

Priyanka Vadra is in no mood to snatch the focus away from her elder sibling Rahul Gandhi. A day after the Congress credited her for salvaging an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), the AICC made it clear that Priyanka had stepped in only at the instructions of Rahul, virtually scotching reports of her “larger role” in politics.

The Congress also said that Priyanka has always played a “supportive role” for her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul by “nurturing” their Parliamentary constituencies of Raebareli and Amethi respectively.

“As far as Uttar Pradesh elections are concerned, Rahul Gandhi has requested Ghulam Nabi Azad and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for sewing up the alliance,” AICC spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said.

He said Rahul has chosen the “best people” for the job and “must congratulate them” for the “great alliance”.

The SP-Congress alliance, which was in the works for the past several months, was on the brink of a collapse on Saturday after the SP leadership rejected the Congress’ demand for 120 seats.

Even as the Congress tried to assert that the final authority vested with Rahul, party workers were in a different mood.

“Priyanka should take out roadshows across Uttar Pradesh and not limit herself to Amethi and Raebareli,” was the refrain of a group of Congress workers from Kanpur who had come to the AICC headquarters.

They wanted Priyanka to campaign extensively across the state, and if possible, alongside Dimple Yadav, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife. The Congress managers said it would be too early to talk of Priyanka campaigning for the party.

Last year, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been working with the Congress, had suggested projecting either Rahul or Priyanka as the chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh as part of plans to revive the organisation in the state.
DH News Service