In wilderness for over 25 years now in the State, the Congress on Tuesday set the ball rolling for the crucial Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh next year.
The party re-jigged its State unit making actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar as the UPPCC chief even as Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka held an hour-long meeting with general secretary in-charge of the State UP Ghulam Nabi Azad. In all likelihood, the Congress will pitch Priyanka as its chief campaigner for the polls in 2017.
However, the Congress’ rejig evoked a fresh controversy as Imran Masood was named as Babbar’s deputy besides three other senior vice-presidents — Raja Ram Pal, Rajesh Mishra and Bhagwati Prasad. Masood was arrested ahead of the 2104 lok Sabha polls for making the scathing “roti-boti” remarks against the then PM candidate of the BJP, Narendra Modi.
Nirmal Khatri, who quit as the party’s chief in UP, was rewarded by a significant post as Chairman of the Screening Committee.
Sources said the rejig followed Priyanka’s meeting with Azad and the newly-appointed poll strategist of the party Prashant Kishor too is understood to be on board for the change of guard in order to give the beleaguered Congress a boost before the elections.
“I want to thank the party high command for showing faith in me. First, I will meet the party workers and will put all my efforts for the betterment of the party,” Babbar told The Pioneer. The names of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, former Union Minister Jitin Prasad, senior party leaders Pramod Tiwari and Rajesh Mishra were also doing the rounds earlier. The speculation was thus put to rest by the party on Tuesday.
Four-time lok Sabha member and currently Rajya Sabha member from Uttarakhand, Babbar had unsuccessfully contested against Union Minister Gen VK Singh (Retd) from Ghaziabad in the 2014 lok Sabha elections. The veteran actor initially began his political career by joining Janata Dal in 1989 which was then led by VP Singh.
He later switched to the Samajwadi Party and was elected MP thrice. Babbar was suspended from SP in 2006 and later made a comeback by joining the Congress in 2008. He was elected as MP for the fourth term in 2009 after he defeated UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav.
When asked about Priyanka’s role in UP, Azad, who held a press briefing to announce UPCC posts, stated that everyone associated with the Congress has a role and it will continue like that. Azad had held meetings with Sonia and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in the past few days over the party’s poll strategy in UP. He has favoured Priyanka becoming pro-active and campaigning throughout the State.
Sources said Priyanka and Azad during their hour-long meeting at the latter’s residence discussed her role in the party ahead of the Assembly polls. The Congress has so far remained tight-lipped on her role but several party leaders have batted for her assuming a bigger role and canvassing for the party all over the state.
Priyanka has earlier restricted herself to campaigning in the family pocket boroughs of Rae Bareli and Amethi parliamentary constituencies, represented by her mother Sonia and brother Rahul respectively.
There has been divergence of opinion in Congress over Priyanka being made the top campaigner in Uttar Pradesh with a section insisting that she should canvass support for the party all over the country in the next lok Sabha polls and should not focus on a state poll.