UP Cong's 'ignored' old guard to meet Sonia Gandhi

"Hurt" at being "ignored"' and "sidelined" by their party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while revamping the state unit, several senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders have sought Congress president Sonia Gandhi's intervention, asking her to address their concerns.

The leaders, including several former members of Parliament and UP assembly, held a meeting here on Thursday, where they blasted the present state leadership for not "consulting" them on issues concerning the party.

The meeting held at the residence of former Congress MP Santosh Singh was attended by around 50 state leaders of the grand old party.

"We have been sidelined completely... the new leadership does not consult us any issue... it is as if we are not required in the party any more," said a veteran UP Congress leader.

He said that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi used to accord them due respect and always took them into confidence while taking decisions about the party organisation in the state.

"After Rahulji's exit, we find ourselves isolated... we had expected Priyankaji to accommodate us respectfully in the revamped state unit but it did not happen," remarked another disgruntled leader while speaking to DH here.

The leader said they planned to meet Sonia Gandhi and apprise her of the situation in the UP unit of the party and urge her to address their concerns.

One of the old guards warned that they could look for "other options" if the issues raised by them were not addressed by the high command.

Priyanka had, after the drubbing in UP in the last Lok Sabha polls, taken upon herself the task of revamping the state unit of the party.

The UP unit got a new president and the entire UPCC was reconstituted with important posts for young and fresh faces, while the old guards were made members of an 'Advisory Board'.

Former UP legislative council member and senior party leader Siraj Mehdi had termed the advisory board a useless body.