In a significant disclosure, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the party has fielded only such candidates who could either win or cut into the votes of the BJP to help the Opposition candidates.
Claiming that the BJP would perform poorly in Uttar Pradesh due to the strong fight put up by Congress candidates, Priyanka said, “The BJP will suffer a major setback in UP and lose badly in those seats where Congress is strong and our candidates are giving a tough fight.” She was addressing a poll meeting in Baghola area of Rae Bareli.
However, the Congress leader also admitted that in places where the Congress candidates were weak, they would only dent the vote bank of the BJP, thereby paving the victory of Opposition candidates.
“The Congress is not at all cutting into the votes of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in UP. We have fielded either winnable candidates or those with the potential to damage the BJP’s chances in the State,” Priyanka explained.
Asked whether she was afraid of contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, she shot back, “If Priyanka Gandhi gets scared, she will sit at home and not engage in politics. I am in politics with good intentions and I will be there.”
The Congress leader also hit out at the BJP for what she called its “obsession” with the Gandhi family and not caring to focus on redressing people’s problems.
Asked whether Rahul Gandhi could become the Prime Minister, Priyanka said, “My brother will prove to be a good Prime Minister as he listens to the people and tries to redress their problems. But it is the public who has to decide whether he will become the PM or not.”
Political observers feel the anti-BJP vote may split between the Congress and the SP-BSP alliance, benefitting the BJP.
“People are harassed. This present Government has lost trust of the people, who voted them to power with a lot of expectations. You have to understand their ‘niyat’ (intention) and ‘neeti’ (policy). Nothing has been done to solve the menace of stray cattle and gaushalas are yet to be set up,” she said.
Priyanka attacked Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani, saying, “By distributing shoes, she insulted the people of Amethi. They charge us of parivarwaad (dynastic politics), but here in Amethi and Rae Bareli, it is people’s love which our family has been showered with for years.”