Congress: Priyanka, Scindia yet to visit UP, uncertainty over poll preparation

Last month, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had held meetings with party workers to discuss around 10 scheduled rallies of party president Rahul Gandhi to be held across the state starting from Lucknow, in the first or second week of February. Sources said this was the first project to be managed by Priyanka and Scindia.

“We are all waiting for Priyanka Gandhi. Soon, we will all sit and a decision will be taken on how to go ahead along with the Congress president and Jyotiradiya Scindia,” said the party’s state chief Raj Babbar, who sources said is likely to contest from Fatehpur Sikri.

A Congress leader in Lucknow said, “We do not know when the rallies will start. What exactly are we supposed to do? What should be next line of action? Earlier, January 10 was said to be the date for the Congress president’s rally in Lucknow and the official launch of the election campaign, but it appears that that will shift as well. We are all waiting for Priyanka Gandhi to arrive so she can give us some direction.”

“If someone has some personal problem, it should be respected with support. Workers are excited and as soon as she is with them, their energy will double. Congress will challenge from the front,” said Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu.

The party is also expected to select two zonal presidents to work for eastern and western UP.

Rahul’s rallies are expected to take place in multiple parts of the state including Varanasi, Sitapur, Hapur, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Bareilly, Agra, Gorakhpur and Allahabad.