Congress brings Priyanka in panel to plan 'sustained agitations on national issues'

Congress has set up a high level panel with Priyanka Gandhi to plan "sustained agitations on national issues".

Senior party leader Digvijaya Singh, a sharp critic of hardline Hindutva politics of BJP has been made the Chairman of the committee.

Prianka's drafting in a panel to take up national issues is significant as it is the first time she will be officially taking up issues beyond Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka, who was looking after election affairs and political strategy in Raebareli and Amethi, the Parliamentary constituencies of her mother Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for many years, was made AICC general secretary on January 23, 2019.

She was given the charge of Eastern Uttar Pradesh before she became the in-charge of the whole state after Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was looking after Western Uttar Pradesh, quit the party. Being a general secretary, she became by default a member of the party's apex decision-making body Congress Working Committee.

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Priyanka's secret role as party troubleshooter has come to fore many times, more publicly in recent times during the crisis in party ruled states Rajasthan and Punjab. She was instrumental in bringing a rebelling Sachin Pilot to the negotiating table and the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab PCC chief.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has led an aggressive campaign on issues like the handling of Covid-19, sugarcane prices and law and order in Yogi Adityanath ruled Uttar Pradesh.

With the new role as a member in this national panel at a time Congress has gone in a virtual campaign mode against the Modi government on a range of issues like Covid-19, farmers, youths and unemployment, LPG prices, and national monetisation plan, Vadra is expected to give an edge to the party's strategy ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Apart from her, the other members in the nine-member committee are Lok Sabha MP Uttam Kumar Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora, Manish Chatratha BK Hariprasad, Udit Raj, Ragini Nayak and Zuber Khan.

The panel was set up by leaders of 19 political parties on August 20 after which they had announced to organise joint protests and demonstrations across the country from September 20 to 30.

Attacking the BJP on Thursday, Vadra said the BJP government is increasing the price of LPG cylinders every month, and petrol and diesel prices have been hiked 60 to 70 times in three-four months.