Maharashtra polls: Congress takes battle to RSS HQ with Priyanka roadshow

According to state Congress chief Nana Patole said, “The roadshow will have wider appeal across the Vidarbha region.” At her maiden roadshow in Nagpur, Priyanka drew crowds that waited for almost four hours.

At Mahal, which is identified with RSS headquarters, BJP workers waved party flags, raising Jai Shri Ram slogan, leading to a confrontation between the workers of the two parties. Priyanka greeted them with “good wishes”, saying “MVA will get elected”.

Police force deployed in large numbers ensured no untoward incident happened.

With both Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi going all out to score against each other, Priyanka’s roadshow is being perceived as a Congress masterstroke by many, as it also happens to be the home town of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule.

Unlike in the previous two elections where the BJP was on a strong wicket in Vidarbha, including Nagpur, it is not going to be a cake walk this time with the Congress putting up a tough fight.

Earlier in the day, Priyanka held a rally at Gadchiroli in Vidarbha region. Raising communal polarisation to relocation of mega industrial projects from Maharashtra to Gujarat, she made a scathing attack on the BJP and appealed to the women to not get swayed by the Ladki Bahin Yojna. She told them to instead exercise the vote for a “better livelihood and life”.

Pointing out that politics have drastically changed in the past 10 years, Priyanka said, “When Congress comes to power it will restore the politics, which was always driven by and for people.”

Promising that if MVA comes to power in Maharashtra, it will give farmers Rs 7,000 per quintal for soybean, the Congress leader said, “Unfortunately, the only one safe in this country is Adani. The common man and poor are struggling daily.” Among people who thronged the rally was Anita Sharma, a school teacher, who said, “I am a politically neutral person who came to the roadshow out of curiosity to see Priyanka. I believe she is a good leader.”

Another participant Sunil Shrikhande said, “Our support to leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi is because she speaks about common people when communal politics has terribly upset people… In her, people see the glimpse of late Indira Gandhi.”