A day after some former Congressmen targeted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by putting up posters and referring her as an ‘emotional blackmailer’ at Rae Bareli, party vanguard Sonia Gandhi and party chief Rahul Gandhi decided to visit Rae Bareli and Amethi on November 2.
Some Congress leaders claimed that the posters were put up by former party leaders. “They knew about Sonia’s programme of November 2, but to add a slice of controversy, they put up posters against the family,” they said.
Sources said that Sonia and Rahul would reach Rae Bareli separately on November 2 but would fly back together the same evening. Priyanka is tipped to accompany her mother.
Party sources confirmed in Lucknow on Tuesday that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi would reach Rae Bareli on November 2 morning and attend a meeting of district vigilance and monitoring committee to review development works in her constituency.
They added that during her brief stay, Sonia Gandhi would meet party leaders and workers to assess preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“Sonia is also expected to visit families of fatal road accident victims in the constituency. There are also speculations that Sonia could keep herself away from polls and, instead, field daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Rae Bareli,” a Congress leader said.
Party sources said that Rahul Gandhi would reach Lucknow the same morning and go to his parliamentary constituency of Amethi by road. Later in the afternoon, he would join Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli where the two would hold discussions with party leaders before flying back to New Delhi.
A few days back, several posters surfaced in Rae Bareli, which termed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as ‘missing’. It was also alleged in the posters that despite several tragedies since her last visit, Priyanka did not bother to reach out to the locals who considered her as her mother’s heir.