With the party cadre in Uttar Pradesh already demoralised after the High Command decided to go in alliance with the Samajwadi Party in the coming Assembly elections, now sitting MlAs and senior leaders received a shock after learning Priyanka Gandhi’s decision not to campaign for the party in the coming Assembly polls.
Interestingly the MlAs, who forced the leadership to go in alliance instead of fighting alone, were looking forward to sail smoothly to the Assembly after riding on popularity of Gandhi family particularly Priyanka Gandhi and support of SP vote bank.
“Priyanka Gandhi had made it very clear to State leadership including State president Raj Babbar that she will be not going to address any meeting in Uttar Pradesh in the coming Assembly polls”, confirmed a leader of the party who attended meeting recently in New Delhi in which Priyanka Gandhi was also present.
“Priyanka even instructed the co-ordinators of her brother Rahul Gandhi’s constituency in Amethi and mother Sonia Gandhi’s constituency in Rae bareli that this time, in these two Parliament constituencies also, she will hold just one meeting in each Parliament Constituency”, the leader further revealed adding that the leaders of two high profile constituencies have been directed to chalk out place from where the party could make maximum gain by Priyanka’s meeting.
During last Assembly elections in 2012, Priyanka Gandhi had addressed public meeting in almost of all blocks of Rae Bareli and Amethi but could manage to win only 2 of the 10 seats falling in the two VVIP constituencies. Sources in the Party confirmed that after participating seriously in all the meetings held in New Delhi to draw strategy for the UP Assembly polls, Priyanka decided to remain away in this election as she did not wanted to lose her `attraction’ amongst the public so that she could use her charm and capabilities to draw solid ground for grand victory in the 2019 Parliament polls and to pave way for her brother Rahul Gandhi to become prime Minister of the country.
It may be mentioned that right from AICC general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad (also incharge of Party affairs here in UP) to State president Raj Babbar, all the senior leaders confirmed that after Party’s vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s month-long ‘Deoria Se Dilli Kisan Yatra’ and “27 Saal-UP Behal” campaign, it was his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, who is all set to hit the campaign trail ahead of next year’s Assembly polls in the State.
Interestingly senior leaders even went on to claim that Priyanka will hold meetings across UP, and will begin with a event in Allahabad on November 19 to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
However, no such public meeting held during the birth anniversary celebration in Allahabad except for Priyanka’s visit to the Sangam City.