News Analysis India

Tag: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

  • With 2024 general elections in mind, Congress lists issues for agitation

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Consistent agitation against the BJP government, connecting with people at grassroots and tracking feedback from the ground — these will be part of the Congress’s public outreach plan with an eye on the 2024 elections.

    The committee on agitation under Digvijaya Singh with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a member at its first meeting discussed issues to create an atmosphere against the Modi government. During the meeting, Priyanka shared inputs related to Uttar Pradesh based on her visits to several areas. She was of the view that besides national issues, the party should also focus on state-specific matters concerning people. 

    There were also demands that Rahul Gandhi should take over as party chief. The committee agreed on three issues — inflation, farm laws and unemployment. A detailed plan will be rolled out after approval from acting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Other issues like monetisation plan, Covid-19 mismanagement, crime against women and Pegasus were discussed.

    “Committee members were of the view that we should take one or two issues at a time and plan agitations, sit-ins, shutdowns and mass outreach programmes for 15-20 days for bigger impact. The plan to keep up the pressure and create an atmosphere against the high handedness of the BJP government. There was agreement that civil society groups should also be approached,” said a committee member. The agitation committee will work parallelly with the agitations planned by the Opposition parties from September 20-30 on several issues against the Centre.

    Expelled leaders criticise priyankaResponding to senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s claim that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would be the party’s face in the UP elections in 2022, expelled Congress leaders including former state minister Satyadev Tripathi said that the party’s UP in-charge had no connect with workers.

  • ‘Only time will tell which party has lost existence in UP’: Priyanka Gandhi takes a dig at BJP

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: While the chairman of Congress Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) Salman Khurshid reiterated a well-known fact that Congress would contest upcoming 2022 UP polls under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the AICC general secretary herself challenged the ruling BJP saying that only time would tell which party — Congress or the BJP — had lost existence in countries politically most crucial state.

    Priyanka, who is touring Raebareli, her mother Sonia Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency and the lost bastion of Amethi, was responding to UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya’s claim that state had got rid of Congress.

    Priyanka, who has been in Uttar Pradesh since September 10, reviewed the Congress party’s organizational readiness and its strategy for the assembly election early next year. She said that preparations for the high-octane polls were in full swing.

    ALSO READ | Political parties throw enough hints Uttar Pradesh polls will pivot around Ayodhya

    Meanwhile, making it clear that Congress would not stitch an alliance and that the party would go it alone in UP polls, PEC chairman and former Union minister Salman Khurshid said that the Congress had not decided on its chief ministerial candidate yet but it would field candidates for all 403 assembly seats in UP.

    Khurshid, who was in Agra to gather people’s feedback for the party manifesto, stressed that it would include voices of the common people by visiting assembly constituencies to get a sense of the problems being faced by the locals.

    “This would make people happy and they can say that this manifesto is their own,” said the Congress leader.

    “We have visited other districts such as Ayodhya, Jhansi, Gorakhpur, etc and on Sunday in Agra, interacted with the natives of Tora village. People complained about several issues such as pension for widows and old people,” Salman Khurshid said.

  • Congress will contest UP polls under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s leadership: Salman Khurshid

    By ANI

    AGRA: Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday said that the party will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections under the leadership of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

    Khurshid said that Congress will not form an alliance with any political party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. However, he added, “Gathbandhan is done by heart. If anyone wants to join our party, they are welcomed.”

    The leader, asked about the Chief Minister’s face in UP polls, he said, “We will be fighting the upcoming Assembly elections under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She is working hard to ensure that we win. Later on, she may announce the CM’s face.”

    ​ALSO READ | UP polls: AIMIM offers party ticket to gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari

    Speaking about the Congress manifesto for the upcoming elections, he said, “We are interacting with the common people. We have made a proper strategy for this. The manifesto will have the voice of the common people. The main focus will be on the farmers, security of women. We have met the people of Agra today and have discussed their issues.”

    “Manifesto will also focus on the health sector as the nation has a weak health system, the truth was revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to strengthen the health and education sector too,” he said.

    Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to take place early next year.

    In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats. Congress was left red-faced as it failed miserably.

  • Priyanka Gandhi tours Rae Bareli constituency to energise workers in view of UP assembly polls

    By PTI

    RAE BARELI: Faced with a stiff challenge to halt Congress’s slide in Uttar Pradesh, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday began a tour of Sonia Gandhi’s Rae Bareli constituency to energise workers for the electoral battle for UP scheduled early next year.

    Priyanka Gandhi, during her meeting with party workers, said that the Congress this time, plans to declare candidates well in time for the state assembly elections, a party leader told PTI.

    Beginning the two-day tour of her mother’s parliamentary constituency, Priyanka Gandhi made the first pit stop at a Hanuman temple in Churuva on the Lucknow-Rae Bareli border, and offered prayers.

    Rae Bareli, the bastion of the Gandhi family since the days of Indira Gandhi, has five assembly seats out of which two are with the Congress and the BJP each, and one is with the Samajwadi Party.

    Congress president Sonia Gandhi represents the Rae Bareli constituency in the Lok Sabha.

    The parliamentary constituency of Rae Bareli consists of Bachhrawan (SC), Harchandpur, Rae Bareli, Sareni and Unchahar assembly segments.

    In the 2017 UP assembly elections, the Congress registered wins in Harchandpur and Rae Bareli assembly constituencies.

    Rakesh Singh and Aditi Singh won from Harchandpur and Rae Bareli respectively.

    BJP’s Ram Naresh Rawat won from Bachhrawan (SC) and Dhirendra Bahadur Singh won from Sareni.

    Unchahar is represented in the state assembly by Manoj Kumar Pandey of the Samajwadi Party.

    Elaborating on Priyanka Gandhi’s meeting with party workers, spokesperson of the District Congress Committee of Rae Bareli Vinay Dwivedi told PTI, “Office bearers of the district unit and city unit of the party met Priyanka ji.

    Members of various frontal organisations, party candidates and zila panchayat members of the Congress also met her.”

    At the meeting, she said that party candidates will be declared well in time as the declaration of candidates was rather late in the previous elections, Dwivedi said.

    He added that the meeting which started on Sunday morning continued till evening.

    “She also went to Tiloi in the neighbouring district of Amethi, after some party workers from Amethi informed her about an accident.

    She will tour the rural area of Rae Bareli before leaving for Lucknow,” he said.

    Priyanka Gandhi visited Dodarpur village in Amethi’s Tiloi area where three children died in a wall collapse on September 6.

    The Congress general secretary reached Todarpur village at around 8 pm and met family members of the deceased.

    Priyanka Gandhi consoled them and assured of all possible help.

    She also inquired about the well-being of two other children who were injured in the accident.

    The deceased were Vansh (5), Satyam (10) and Divyanshi (7).

    The injured were Ashish (9) and Shiva (7).

    The Congress was reduced to seven seats in the 2017 UP assembly polls and now the grand old party is looking at the party secretary general for a turnaround in the heartland of politics.

    The Congress’s fortunes took a downward slide after the Ram Janmabhoomi issue took centre-stage in the early 90s.

    Upon her arrival in Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi was welcomed by party leaders and workers.

    Subsequently, she was welcomed and garlanded in Bachhravan, Harchandpur, Jagdishpur village and Civil Lines area of the city.

    From there, her cavalcade proceeded towards the Bhuyemau guest house, UP Congress media panelist Priyanka Gupta said.

    The neighbouring Amethi Lok Sabha constituency consists of the assembly segments of Tiloi, Salon (SC), Jagdishpur (SC), Gauriganj and Amethi.

    In the 2017 elections in the state, the BJP emerged victorious in the constituencies of Tiloi, Salon, Jagdishpur and Amethi, while the SP registered a win from the Gauriganj assembly constituency.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tasted defeat at Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections at the hands of Union minister Smriti Irani.

    Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi slammed the Yogi Adityanath dispensation over the use of a purported image of a Kolkata flyover in an Uttar Pradesh government advertisement, saying the people of the state have seen through their “false claims” and are going to change the chief minister and the government.

  • Priyanka holds marathon meetings with Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday held marathon meetings with party office-bearers here and said their views will be crucial in the distribution of tickets for next year’s Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

    Exhorting partymen to work round the clock for the polls, Gandhi said a strong Congress organisation is equally important for nation building. The party also told prospective candidates to submit applications by September 26, a party leader said.

    On a visit to the state to review the poll preparations, Gandhi held meetings with Congress leaders and office-bearers, taking reports from districts and city presidents, state secretaries, general secretary and state vice-presidents, a party spokesperson said.

    Gandhi also held zone-wise meetings with office-bearers, the spokesperson said, adding that brainstorming sessions up to the block, wards and panchayat level were held to map out the election strategy.

    Gandhi said a strong organisation is equally important for nation building, the spokesperson said, adding she also took feedback from the office-bearers on all important issues ahead of the upcoming elections.

    Gandhi, who has been working towards strengthening the party to make it election ready, stressed on the importance of a strong organisation, the party spokesperson said.

    As the elections to the Uttar Pradesh assembly are very near, Congress party workers need to work day and night, she told partymen.

    On the issue of ticket distribution, she said office-bearers of the organisation will play an important role in deciding the names of candidates for the next year’s elections, according to the spokesperson. The Congress leader said the organisational work is at the last stage.

    Gandhi had arrived here on Thursday evening and is scheduled to visit Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituency of her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, for two days beginning Sunday during which she will hold meetings with party workers, leaders and people.

    During the zone-wise review meeting with party leaders earlier on Saturday, the Congress leader discussed several issues, including the farmers’ protest over the three agriculture laws.

    In a statement, the party said deliberations were held on the poll strategy for western UP and Gandhi sought reports from every village. The farmers’ protest over the three agriculture laws also came up for discussions, the statement said.

    Thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states had gathered at Muzaffarnagar on Sunday for a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’, months ahead of the crucial UP assembly polls.

    The event was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at the Government Inter College ground in Muzaffarnagar to protest the Centre’s three farm laws.

    On Friday, the Congress decided to take out a 12,000 km-long yatra through villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls.

    The decision to take out the yatra was taken at a meeting presided over by Gandhi and attended by members of the party’s advisory and strategy committee.

    The yatra will draw attention of people to issues of corruption, inflation, crime, violence against women, unemployment and poor health services, the party said on Friday.

  • Prashant Kishor’s Congress entry unlikely before assembly elections

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Any decision on poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s induction to the Congress has seemingly been put on hold following reservations by senior party leaders  and feedback that his lateral entry at a senior position can bring discontent in the party ahead of Assembly elections early next year.

    Following meetings with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, there were reports that Kishor is expected to join in a top opposition to revamp the party. Sources said several senior leaders, including Congress Working Committee members, as part of the feedback process initiated by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, did not give a positive response to Kishor — who runs I-PAC — joining the party. The ‘rebel’ G23 letter writers are also against inducting him.    

    “There was a broad view that he can be roped in as a strategist for the party but giving him top post for election management can lead to rifts in the party. Any decision is now expected after Assembly elections in five states. The Congress chief is yet to express her views on the issue, while Rahul and Priyanka have backed him,” said a senior party leader.

    The party was considering creating a position for him, giving him a free hand in planning election strategy for the Congress. By roping in Kishor, the party was mainly looking for revival ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Kishor has worked with several leaders. His association with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee turned out to be a successful one. He had initially worked with BJP in the run-up to 2014 Lok Sabha elections and later joined the Janata Dal-United and was made the party’s vice-president. He  left following differences with top leadership. Kishore also worked with Congress during the 2017 elections in Uttar Pradesh.

    Rahul Gandhi visits vaishno devi shrine

    As BJP started a public outreach programme in J&K, Rahul Gandhi set off for a second trip to the region in as many months. This tour is mostly about temple and mosque hopping. More such trips are in the pipeline. Rahul went to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, participated in the evening aarti and other rituals with a night halt scheduled at the venue. He took short breaks on the way to the shrine to interact with other devotees. “This visit is a part of the party’s plan to reach out to local people. More such visits are planned, where he will interact with leaders and common people,” said a Congress source.

  • Priyanka rises in prominence as reformer, troubleshooter for Congress

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has emerged as a crisis manager for the party in difficult times. Her troubleshooting skills were on display while handling the Chhattisgarh political turmoil after the decisive role played by her in tackling similar situations in Rajasthan and Punjab state units.      

    Priyanka, who is in charge of Uttar Pradesh, is taking a keen interest in organisational matters and is consulted in important decisions related to revamp the party, said party sources. While the controversy in Punjab Congress fails to end, a senior party leader said she played a major role in organisational revamp in the state.

    ALSO READ | Bhupesh Baghel gets a Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lifeline till UP elections 

    She was the one who insisted on cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s elevation as Punjab Congress chief despite disapproval by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and reservations by former party chief Rahul Gandhi.  

    “Priyanka was the one who ensured Sidhu meets Rahul, a day after any meeting was denied by her brother. During the marathon meeting, she kept shuffling from Rahul’s house to party chief Sonia Gandhi’s residence to keep her in the loop. Finally, the decision went in favour of Sidhu by sidelining Amarinder Singh, who has good relations with Sonia ji,” said another party leader.   

    On similar lines in Chhattisgarh, during the three-hour-long meeting between Rahul and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, she was present all through and updated Sonia also on the matter.

    Baghel was called to Delhi again Friday to meet Rahul as Priyanka was not present during the meeting on Tuesday. She was in the US on a personal visit and returned a day later. Priyanka’s decision to let Baghel continue for time being prevailed despite Rahul’s view to fulfill the commitment made to state health minister T S Singh Deo.

    She worked behind the curtains to placate the situation in Rajasthan last year following a rebellion by party leader Sachin Pilot, who was constantly in touch with her, over power-sharing issues with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. While trouble continues in Rajasthan over delay in addressing Pilot’s concerns, she continues to be in touch with the Tonk MLA and has assured him quick redressal of the problem.    

  • Bhupesh Baghel gets a Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lifeline till UP elections 

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will retain his seat for now though the power tussle in the state is far from over. After a three-hour-long meeting with former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Baghel said: “I have told Rahul Gandhi my dil ki baat (heart’s desire). He is coming to Chhattisgarh next week and will visit Bastar to see the work done by the government.”

    Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel greetsCongress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhion Friday | Special ArrangementSources said the decision came after Priyanka backed Baghel, an OBC leader, while Rahul insisted that he abide by the promise made to T S Singh Deo. A senior party leader said Priyanka was of the view that changing Baghel just ahead of the crucial Assembly elections, especially Uttar Pradesh, will not go down well with the backward class vote bank. 

    Flanked by party incharge for the state P L Punia, Baghel did not give a direct response to the claim of rotational CM by his cabinet colleague Deo.  “The problem is not over yet and the party would have to address Deo’s concerns. Rahul ji’s proposed visit needs to be also looked at from that perspective,” said a state party leader.        

    In a show of strength, Baghel came to Delhi along with over 50 MLAs and met Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Punia. The MLAs from the Baghel camp were at the AICC headquarters during the day and the CM met them after his meeting with Rahul. “Rahul ji has accepted an invitation to visit Bastar given by the CM. There are no differences between the two leaders,” Punia told this newspaper.

  • Priyanka Gandhi slams Centre over protests by SSC exam qualified candidates over no appointment

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over reported protests by candidates who qualified a Staff Selection Commission recruitment examination but have not been given appointment, and said a strong India will be built by giving employment to the youth, not by beating them with sticks.

    छात्र-छात्राएं परीक्षा पास कर चुके हैं। पद खाली पड़े हैं।लेकिन रोजगार मांगने पर SSC-GD के अभ्यर्थी छात्र-छात्राओं को लाठियां मिल रही हैं।युवाओं को लाठियां मारने से नहीं, रोजगार देने से मजबूत भारत बनेगा। pic.twitter.com/RgnOUSTnHI
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 19, 2021
    According to media reports, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released the result of 2018 GD Constable Recruitment Exam but appointments of the candidates have not been made. The candidates reached Jantar Mantar for a protest on Tuesday demanding their appointment which led to a scuffle between them and the security personnel, the reports said.

    Tagging pictures of the incident, Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, “The students have passed the exam. The posts are lying vacant. But on seeking employment, SSC-GD candidates were beaten with sticks. A strong India will be built by giving employment to the youth, not by beating them with sticks.”

  • Adityanath govt cannot hide ‘plight’ of farmers by giving full page ads: Priyanka Gandhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Attacking the Uttar Pradesh government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said it cannot hide the “plight” of farmers by giving full page advertisements and asked what it had done about the “black agri laws”.

    The Congress general secretary’s attack came over a media report on a farmer allegedly committing suicide in Pichaura village under Kanpur Dehat after his crops were ruined due to floods in the village.

    “Farmers are the soul of this country. The UP government cannot hide the plight of the farmers by giving full page advertisements. Tell me what did you do — With regard to stray cattle? Compensation for crop loss? Payment of sugarcane dues? About black agri laws? Regarding inflation and the price of electricity?” she said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year in protest against the three laws.

    Out of them, a small group of 200 farmers are now staging a protest at Jantar Mantar in central Delhi after getting special permission.

    The Congress and several other Opposition parties are demanding a repeal of the farm laws.