Priyanka Gandhi missing, UP Congress in doldrums as executive panel hangs fire

While UP Congress president Brijlal Khabri claims that he has sent the names for a new executive committee to the party high command, the list is yet to be cleared with party sources saying that the high command may make some changes in it. “The names have been sent and the committee is expected anytime soon,” said Khabri.

It has been nine months since Khabri took over as the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief. He was seen as Priyank’s choice for the post after the pary’s former state president Ajay Kumar Lallu had resigned, taking responsibility for its 2022 Assembly poll debacle. A former BSP leader and MP, Khabri was projected as the Dalit face of the party, which has been hoping for its revival in the state for many years.

Soon afterwards, the party leadership also appointed six zonal presidents. These senior leaders were given charge of six different regions. The next step was to constitute a state executive committee to assist Khabri. However, even after nine months, the UPCC is yet to get its new committee, even as Khabri has been planning campaigns on different issues. He is conducting divisional meetings on his own now and has planned another set of meetings in the first week of July.

“The way things are moving here, it is clear that Priyanka ji has left Uttar Pradesh. Some are saying that Rahul Gandhi’s team might take over to some extent, or Uttar Pradesh might be allotted a completely new face. Amidst all these speculations, everyone is waiting and watching for the central Congress Working Committee meeting to take place,” said a senior Congress leader.

Another senior party leader said, “Amidst uncertainty for Congress workers in UP, one thing is certain – change is going to take place. Rest is all speculation, including what this change would be like, especially with Congress joining the (Opposition) alliance meeting, which would impact UP the most.”

Party leaders feel that clarity would come only after the Congress Working Committee meeting. Some even see changes at the state level as well as the AICC level for Uttar Pradesh and thus none of the leaders are pro-actively starting any big statewide campaigns. Even the zonal presidents are limiting themselves to local meetings.

The UPCC had last got a new executive committee over three years ago, when Lallu was the state unit chief. The committee had the approval of Priyanka, who took charge of the UP party affairs as the AICC general secretary. The panel had a mix of old and new faces that gave due significance to the caste combinations as well.

However, despite being in charge of UP, Priyanka, who once personally visited the state after every significant incident in order to raise the voices of people, has not been seen at the party’s state headquarters for over a year. Party leaders say that her last visit was in the first week of June 2022 to be part of a Navsankalpa Camp. The event was organised to discuss the party’s revival plan after the 2022 Assembly poll debacle.

“We have accepted that change is coming, it is just that we don’t have a clue about what that change would be, and whether the Gandhi family would completely leave Uttar Pradesh, or would continue to play a decision-making role, even if remotely,” said a senior party leader.