Priyanka to carpet-bomb Modi citadel

Congress star campaigner and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra plans to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the latter's Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi with dozens of small corner meetings.

According to sources in the Uttar Pradesh Congress, Priyanka, who was also the in-charge of the eastern region of the state, has told the local leaders in Varanasi that she will prefer corner meetings to big rallies in the temple town.

"Priyankaji is likely to hold dozens of corner meetings in different parts of Varanasi city and other Assembly segments of the Lok Sabha constituency," said a senior state Congress leader here.

A local Congress leader in Varanasi said the party had started preparations for Priyanka's meetings in the town. "She may visit Varanasi next week," the leader said.

The leader told DH that they had identified the areas where Priyanka would be holding the corner meetings. "We plan to hold corner meetings at Assi, Laurabir, Lanka, Godoulia and other localities across the Varuna river," he said.

He said popular spots where people from different walks of life assembled, especially in the evenings and discuss politics, would be chosen for holding the corner meetings.

Such meetings could also be planned in other urban Lok Sabha constituencies in the eastern region, the leader said. Priyanka has been entrusted with the task of organising party's election campaign in 41 Lok Sabha constituencies in the region.

UP Congress sources said that Priyanka was likely to visit the 'Kumbh' in Prayagraj next week. She could also take the holy dip at the Sangam, sources added.

"Priyanka was scheduled to visit the region earlier but her program was deferred in the wake of the terror attack in Pulwama," said a state Congress leader.