Priyanka "outsmarts" SP, BSP, surprises BJP

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not only 'outsmarted' the main opposition players, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP, but also took the ruling BJP by "surprise" by cornering the UP government over the killing of ten tribal people in Sonbhadra district in the state.

Priyanka managed to infuse some life in the dormant UP Congress and rekindle hope among the workers that she might take charge of the grand old party in the near future.

The SP and the BSP were caught "napping" and Priyanka clearly "stole a march" on them, said Congress leaders here.

A senior SP leader, while speaking to DH, remarked that what Priyanka did was "un-Congress like".

"Congress in UP is not known for hitting the streets," the SP leader added.

The BJP too was taken by surprise by Priyanka's dash to Sonbhadra.

"We did not expect her to hold dharna and insist on meeting the kin of the victims," said a state BJP leader.

The Congress leader forced the government to allow her to meet the kin of the victims.

Political experts, however, in Priyanka's interest in UP, see a "long term political strategy".

"Priyanka wants to edge out the SP and the BSP and establish the Congress as the main Opposition player in the state," said a political analyst.

Priyanka has been strident in her attacks on the BJP government over the crimes in the state.

She has not only been raising questions over the law and order situation in the state but has also taken up issues concerning the primary teachers, government employees and others.

Only recently she was involved in a war of words with the state police on Twitter on the law and order situation in UP and provoked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to comment on the same.

While the UP police came out with statistics to counter Priyanka's charge that the crime rate had shot up in the state, Adityanath had termed her jibe as "sour grapes".