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CoverStory

Priyanka is all

set to play a

national role

The star campaigner of Congress is certainly not
going to remain confined to Uttar Pradesh, the
state under her charge, writes amit agnihotri

riyanka Gandhi Vadra, the concept of justice for all (Nyay). Ganga over the past five years and the
Congress’ star campaigner is “Priyanka is the brain behind the pain of people residing along the river
certainly not going to remain Nyay concept and is explaining it to the bank. During her subsequent road shows
confined to Uttar Pradesh, the voters...she is connecting with the wom- in Faizabad and Fatehpur to Ghaziabad,
P state under her charge, but is en voters by holding small sessions with Bijnor and Saharanpur in western
all set to play a national role and travel all them and telling them that they are at UP, enthusiastic crowds have brought
over the country countering Prime Min- the centre of Nyay,” said a senior party immense joy to the party strategists who
ister Narendra Modi’s blitzkrieg. insider. hope to reap a good electoral harvest in
“We have been flooded with requests The proof of her popularity, said party the coming weeks.
from almost every state unit that Pri- sources, is the buzz generated around “Out of these the Faizabad-Ayodhya
yanka should campaign there. We are Priyanka in politically crucial Uttar and the Saharanpur road shows were
working out the details,” a senior AICC Pradesh since she launcher her cam- very successful in terms of voter turnout.
functionary involved with Priyanka’s paign through the highly publicised boat While the former one was a Hindu ma-
campaign said adding that Maharash- ride from Prayagraj to Varanasi from jority area, the latter had a mix of Muslim
tra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya March 18-20 to target the eastern UP and jat population. The message is clear...
Pradesh and Rajasthan are certainly on which was traditionally the party strong people want a change,” said a senior UP
the cards. hold. Congress leader.
Incidentally, she addressed her first So far her campaign has been full of True to her style, Priyanka, who in-
public speech on March 12 after becom- symbolism. Be it the stay at the historic troduced Rahul to voters of Amethi in
ing AICC general secretary in charge of Anand Bhavan in erstwhile Allahabad, 2004, has been supporting her brother
UP East at the Congress Working Com- the home town of Nehrus, to a boat ride all along. Be it the launch of party mani-
mittee meeting in Gujarat, the home from Prayagraj to Varanasi to highlight festo for the 2019 polls on April 3 in Delhi
state of PM Modi and BJP chief Amit PM Modi’s failure in cleaning the river where she urged the youth to read the
Shah. Another big event is planned in the document carefully to describing her
western state, said the sources. brother as the most courageous man
Priyanka, who is considered to be a Party insiders say the she knew after the Congress chief filed
natural politician and bears a striking his nomination from Wayanad parlia-
resemblance to her grandmother and Priyanka had always mentary constituency in Kerala on April
former prime minister Indira Gandhi, been in favour of the 4 or accompanying him to the collectors
is already making the right moves and office when he filed nomination from
creating waves around her persona and go alone line espoused Amethi on April 10. In between Priyanka
the Congress party. Her deployment is also dropped subtle hints that she may
being seen by party strategists as adding by Rahul but played a fight the polls from Varanasi against the
fire power to the nationwide campaign key role in sewing up PM pushing the BJP managers into a
led Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Party frenzied guessing game. However, insid-
sources said Modi will it hard to hit back the alliance with the ers said Priyanka fighting the elections is
at Priyanka the way he attacks Rahul, SP ahead of the 2017 unlikely as it dilutes the focus away from
who is trying to counter the PM’s nar- her national campaign.
rative of muscular nationalism with his UP assembly polls Congress insiders said Priyanka

Tehelka / 30 april 2019 28 www.Tehelka.com