Now, it’s official. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of Sonia Gandhi and sister of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, reveals her intentions to electoral battle and challenge none other than the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking re-election from Varanasi, the Hindus most sought after pilgrimage town, in Uttar Pradesh.
In fact, it was AP Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who proposed her name along with NCP leader Sharad Pawar to the Congress President to field Priyanka to stop Modi juggernaut.
Some Hindi and English news channels went splashing that the Congress may as well announce within hours of the proposal. But, that did not happen.
AP CM, who was annoyed with the way polls were conducted in his home state in the first phase on April 11, especially upset with the EVMs malfunctioning as well local Election Officer’s failure to ensure election machinery in perfect operational mode, rushed to Delhi and lodge his complaint to the Chief Election Commission.
Naidu was also upset with the CEC decision to shift out three of his police officers, including the Intelligence Chief and later the Chief Secretary, also reportedly expressed his displeasure with the CEC. That apart, he had also try to garner support to his complaint by holding parleys and later addressing joint press conference with some of the Opposition leaders, including the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, on April 12.
Reasons best known to the Congress leaders, it did not take a call on Naidu’s request or appeal.
But, today Priyanka Gandhi, who has been made in-charge of party’s campaigning in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, told media persons that he is ‘ready to take on Modi’, if the party so chooses to field her from Varanasi. “Mein tho thayyar hoon. Magar the party ko thayar karna hai na (I am ready, is it not the party leadership, which has to take a decision?)
Many a political analyst feel that Rahul Gandhi may or may not take a decision to field her sister Priyanka from Varanasi, simply because he will taking utmost risk. “A loss against Modi, who won in 2014 with 5 lakh votes, may well boomerang on the dynasty’s hold on the party post-polls.”