Against the backdrop of Congress’ miserable show in the Lok Sabha elections across the country, including Uttar Pradesh, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has decided to continue working ‘tirelessly’ for the revival of the party in the State that sends 80 Lok Sabha MPs.
AICC sources said a massive overhaul could be expected to streamline the cadre in the State which has always been significant for formation of a government at the Centre.
Priyanka, who was drafted into active politics by her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi just before the General Elections, will head to Prayagraj (Allahabad) on Friday to hold a separate review meeting with all the 40 Congress contestants of eastern UP and conduct a marathon meeting with party’s office bearers at all levels, from block to State.
The party, which is facing internal rumblings in wake of party chief Rahul Gandhi’s resignation post-poll debacle, is all set to make structural changes in organisation across country while Priyanka will figure out a strategy to rebuild the party in the main Hindi heartland where Congress lost its grip since almost the last four decades.
“Priyanka will now frequently visit the State and continue with her interactions with party workers,” a senior AICC leader said.
On her first visit to Uttar Pradesh after the poll debacle wherein even her brother Rahul lost the family turf of Amethi, she will station herself in Swaraj Bhawan in Allahabad and conduct the series of meetings. She is tasked to strengthen the State unit to stage a comeback both in UP and national level.
Congress ruled UP for a very long time since first Chief Minister Govind Vallabh Pant in 1950 with last being ND Tiwari. But there hasn’t been a single Congress CM who has ruled UP following rise of regional players like Samajwadi Party, BSP and emergence of BJP as a force to reckon with.
In the last two Lok Sabha polls, it did not touch even the double digit from the State. The highest Lok Sabha MPs in Congress from UP was 21 in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in recent times when the party returned to power to lead UPA-II at Centre.