Priyanka Gandhi meets Ghulam Nabi Azad, likely to lead poll campaign in UP

Amid speculation of leading the Congress campaign in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday met state party affairs in-charge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, for over an hour at his residence, reported CNN-News18. A formal announcement of Priyanka likely to become the star campaigner for the party in UP is expected soon. [caption id=“attachment_2888874” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Priyanka Gandhi. PTI[/caption] Although initial reports stated that Congress has decided on Priyanka being projected as the star campaigner, the party remained tight-lipped  over her taking centre stage, as the final call has not been taken yet. Azad has already favoured Priyanka, who is currently managing the party activities in Rae Bareily and Amethi, which are also Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s constituencies respectively, as the face of the party. According to the TV reports, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi met Azad on Monday over the UP polls. Poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped in by the Congress to help and assist the party in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly suggested that if Rahul declines to lead the party in the state, Priyanka, by all means, should. Congress has been in political wilderness in UP for more than 26 years, which saw the emergence of Mandal and Mandir issues and the rise of BSP. According to this  analytical piece on Firstpost, Sandipan Sharma writes that Congress may have found its ‘Bramhastra’ to reverse the downward spiral the party is heading to.

The thinking within the Congress earlier was to preserve Priyanka Gandhi for a few more years. A section within the Congress felt that she should enter politics at an opportune time, preferably when there is a strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Narendra Modi ’s government. But, the wise heads in the Congress seemed to have realised that the current Congress trajectory will take it to extinction much before the countdown to the end of Modi government begins. Only time will tell whether this ‘Brahmastra’ will work in politics. In the late 90s, when Sonia Gandhi stepped into electoral politics, the Congress remained almost stagnant. Though a lot of hype had surrounded Sonia Gandhi’s dramatic appearance, she failed to make any difference to the party’s fortunes. Priyanka Gandhi too could disappoint, even turn out worse than her brother. But, for the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi is indeed an idea whose time has come. Whatever be the outcome of the expected ploy, it will immediately inject new life in the Congress veins. Its workers will get a sense of direction, the party a new face and voters the option of looking at a Rahul-mukt Congress. Comparisons with leaders of other parties can wait, but in a tossup between the Gandhi siblings, Priyanka is the clear winner.