After Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka to campaign in Uttar Pradesh from next month

Sources said that with the issue of research scholar Rohit Vemula’s suicide again hitting headlines, both Priyanka and Rahul would take up the issues related to Dalits across the state. “After the yatra of Rahul Gandhi enthused party workers and also gave issues to farmers to talk about, Congress will not sit relaxed in Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka Gandhi would now go on a campaign trail across the state,” said a senior party leader. Earlier, the Congress had considered bringing Rahul and Priyanka together to the state to campaign, but the idea was later dropped. Sources informed that considering her family responsibilities, it would be difficult for her to undertake a continuous pre-poll campaign.

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Now, it has been decided that Priyanka will hold public meetings in select Assembly constituencies, where the party has better prospects considering local equations. Her presence, the party feels, would further boost its chances. Out of the 355 seats contested by the Congress during the 2012 Assembly elections, it had won 28 seats and had come second on about 30 seats. During last few months, however, its seven MLAs have left the party to join BSP, BJP and the Samajwadi Party.

So far, Priyanka has been concentrating only on Rae Bareli and Amethi, the seats represented by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul. She not only campaigns in these two regions, but also decides the Assembly candidates in about 10 constituencies in these districts. While all senior party leaders maintain that the final decision about the campaign plan would be taken by Priyanka, teams within the party have been given a go ahead to start planning for November 19 event in a big way. The event would also mark the beginning of the centenary birth year of former PM Indira Gandhi.