Congress has denied reports that Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi may campaign for the party across the country for General Elections 2014.
In a statement, the Congress said that disinformation was being spread ‘mischievously’ to divert attention from the Madhya Pradesh temple stampede where 115 people died on Sunday. “Over 100 people have died in the tragedy. The whole country is looking at the Madhya Pradesh Government which could not even provide police arrangement at the place. Priyanka is campaigning only in Amethi and Raebareli. I deny those reports absolutely. It (news about Priyanka Gandhi) is an attempt by some people to divert attention from the issue and to hide MP Government’s failure,” Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said.
Reports suggested that the party was trying to rope in Priyanka Gandhi as its star campaigner in a bid to give stiff competition to the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. “Congress party strongly condemns people and news channels who are doing this,” Maken said when asked to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, asked to comment on Priyanka Gandhi’s possibility of campaigning against Narendra Modi and in other parts of the country, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said, “Everybody in Congress must campaign to ensure that UPA II’s positive things are told to people.”