Priyanka Gandhi given target to form government in Uttar Pradesh

Amethi (UP): Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said he has given his sister Priyanka Gandhi, newly entrusted with eastern Uttar Pradesh, the target of ensuring that the party forms the next government in the state. The Congress will also fight the coming Lok Sabha polls with “full strength”, he said at a public meeting in his constituency. 

His two-day visit to Amethi had coincided Wednesday with the formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi in politics, after years of speculation on whether she would take the plunge.  She has been appointed general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, while Jyotiraditya Scindia holds charge of UP West. 

“Priyanka and Scindia have been given a target. That is to form a Congress government in Uttar Pradesh in the next election by defeating and wiping out the BJP,” the Congress president said.  “Unlike PM Modi, I do not talk of a ‘BJP-mukt Bharat’ but speak with respect,” Gandhi said, referring to Narendra Modi’s call to “free” India of the Congress. 

Whether it is Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, everywhere the Congress will fight with full might on the front foot, and you will see that after the Vidhan Sabha elections there will be a Congress government in the state,” he said.  The Congress has decided to go solo in West Bengal as well, sources said. 

On Wednesday, the Congress broke ties with the TDP, with which it fought the recent Asse-mbly polls in Telangana, and announced its decision to contest the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh on its own. The start of Mr Gandhi’s two-day visit to Amethi, on Wednesday coincided with the formal entry of Ms Vadra in politics, after years of speculation on whether she would take the plunge. However, it is still not clear whether she herself will contest the parliamentary elections.