Gets an office next to that of Rahul at HQ
Newly-appointed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra swung into action soon after her return from a private visit from the US on Monday. She met senior party leaders, including her sibling and party chief Rahul Gandhi, to discuss the polls ahead. Priyanka got an office next to Rahul at the party headquarters on Akbar Road in the national Capital.
Priyanka’s allotted office was previously occupied by Rahul Gandhi, when he was the party vice-president. Then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the then president of the grand old party, occupied Rahul’s present room. The other previous occupants of Priyanka’s office include former Congress general secretaries Janardhan Dwivedi and Sushil Kumar Shinde.
AICC sources said Priyanka will attend the first official meeting of the Congress party after assuming the new role as general secretary on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi has convened the meeting of all general secretaries, incharges of various States to plan the strategy for the Lok Sabha election.
While AICC general secretaries are scheduled to meet on Thursday, Rahul will deliberate with Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents on Saturday. Rahul on Tuesday also formed various committees for Punjab, Goa, Puducherry and Gujarat ahead of the general elections.
Priyanka on Tuesday met a few senior party leaders from Uttar Pradesh and held informal interactions with them on issues relating to strengthening the party in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s stronghold Gorakhpur fall in the Eastern UP which falls under Priyanka’s charge. .
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the new Congress general secretary in charge of western UP, was also present in the meeting.
Priyanka’s involvement with the party so far was limited to campaigning in Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies represented by her mother Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. She also campaigned in 2017 Assembly Polls in Uttar Pradesh, but the party did not fare well.
Reports suggest that the Congress could also discuss its election manifesto for the crucial polls during the meeting. “While she fully understands her responsibilities, Priyanka would be present at the meeting of AICC general secretaries and in-charge of various States to plan the strategy for the Lok Sabha election due by May,” said an AICC leader.
Rahul appointed Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to lead the Congress’s poll campaign in Punjab and former chief minister Digambar Kamat to lead Goa campaign.
Former Gujarat legislator Siddharth Patel, who is son of former State Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel, has been made the campaign committee chief in Gujarat. He also led the party’s campaign in the State in the 2017 Assembly election, but had himself lost the election.
Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar is the chairman of the Pradesh Election Committee, which includes Amarinder Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Pratap Singh Bajwa and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu however is not part of any other committee, including the important Coordination Committee which has all top leaders from the state.
Former union minister Manish Tewari has been made the chairman of Media Coordination Committee, while Punjab minister Vijay Inder Singla has been appointed the chairman of Publicity Committee.
In Gujarat, Rajeev Satav has been made the chairman of the Coordination Committee of the state which has all top leaders in it including senior party leader Ahmed Patel. OBC leader Alpesh Thakore has been made the convener of the Campaign Committee for Gujarat.
Senior party leader Madhusudan Mistry has been made the chairman of Manifesto Committee with Manish Doshi as its convener. In Puducherry, chief minister V Narayanasamy has been made the chairman of Coordination Committee for the state, while president of Puducherry Congress V Namassivayam has been made the chairman of Pradesh Election Committee and State Welfare Minister M Kandasamy has been made the chairman of the Campaign Committee.
Goa’s AICC in-charge A Chella Kumar has been appointed as chairman of the Coordination Committee with Girish Chodankar as convener. State Congress chief Chodankar has also been made the chairman of the state Election Committee.