UP polls: Priyanka Gandhi to launch Congress’ campaign from Modi’s constituency Varanasi on Oct 10

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi – who is in Lucknow on a five-day visit – will launch Congress’ poll campaign from PM Modi’s constituency Varanasi on October 10, said a top Congress party source.

“She will address a huge rally. We are in the process of deciding the venue and a formal announcement will be made soon,” the party leader told NH.

“A delegation of cotton weavers from Varanasi met Priyanka Gandhi at PCC office and briefed her about the hardships faced by them under the BJP government,” said Anil Yadav, secretary organisation, UP Congress.

“Priyanka Gandhi met several delegations comprising social activists, youths, farmers, Congress workers and people from marginalised sections in last three days at the PCC office in order to understand the pain and sufferings faced by the common mem in UP,” added Anil Yadav.

The plight of the people will be addressed through Congress’ manifesto, said another leader considered close to Priyanka Gandhi.

A UP watcher, who did not wish to be named said, “Priyanka Gandhi choosing Varanasi to launch Congress’ campaign for the UP-assembly polls, shows the grand old party is prepared to hit the BJP - where it is the strongest. Symbolically also, it is very important because it is PM’s constituency plus Varanasi is considered as one of the most sacred places among Hindus”.

Priyanka Gandhi’s visit assumes significance as she came to Lucknow just a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his council of ministers by inducting Jitin Prasad and six others – mainly from the backward and Dalit community.

Priyanka arrived in Lucknow on September 27 on a five-day visit to discuss the party’s preparedness for the upcoming assembly polls.

As per Congress party sources, Priyanka Gandhi has envisaged setting up war rooms right up to district level, aimed at receiving feedback from the ground and taking prompt decisions.

“The other issues that she discussed included the route of the party's ‘Pratigya Yatra’, setting up training camps for booth management and party units at the village level,” said Anil.

According to reliable sources, the Congress leaders have already begun preparations for the Varanasi rally. “This is going to be a grand rally being organised to give a message of change to people across the state,” Rajesh Mishra, a senior Congress leader, and former Varanasi MP, was quoted as saying by the media.

This is Priyanka Gandhi’s second visit to the state in September. On September 13, she wrapped up her five-day tour of UP during which she declared Congress was planning to declare candidates well in time for the upcoming elections.

Congress – which has declared that no pre-poll alliance will be done this time – had contested the 2017 assembly polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

Congress had managed to win just seven of the 114 seats it had contested with a vote share of 6.25 per cent.