Awadh said "we need clean politics": Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Terming the Congress' victory in Amethi and Rae Bareli as "historic", party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday, 11 June, said the entire country is looking towards Awadh, which has sent a message that "we need a dedicated, true and clean politics" in the country.

She credited the "unity" between the workers of the Congress and Samajwadi Party for the Lok Sabha election win in Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka Gandhi was in Rae Bareli for a thanksgiving address following the victory of Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi. The Congress won six Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh while its INDIA bloc ally, the Samajwadi Party, bagged 37 seats out of 80. The BJP faced a major setback in the politically crucial state.

"All my friends from the Samajwadi Party, who are sitting on the stage, and all the (party) workers, who fought this election shoulder to shoulder with us, we made an army by whose strength we won Rae Bareli and Amethi (Lok Sabha seats)," she said.

"This was a historic win. We feel proud to say that this message went from Awadh to the entire Uttar Pradesh and to the entire country that we need dedicated, true and clean politics in our country. The entire country is looking towards you," she said.

The Congress leader expressed her gratitude to the party workers and supporters for the victory in the two seats, considered the home boroughs of the Nehru–Gandhi family.

"With twice the devotion and loyalty that you have shown to us, we will all work for you for the next five years and forever," the Congress general secretary said.

"When I came here for the elections this time," Gandhi Vadra said, "I had said that there are approximately 300 hours (for the polls), take out (only) 2–3 hours each day for sleeping, the rest for doing work....

"For the first time, Kishori Lal Sharma-ji was not present in the election management:, he was contesting his election from Amethi.... We did not feel his absence because all of you worked very hard day and night. 'Thank you very much' to all. Everyone showed full participation in this election," the Congress leader, who was accompanied by Rahul Gandhi as well, said.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi defeated BJP candidate and then-UP minister Dinesh Pratap Singh by a margin of over 3.90 lakh votes, while Sharma wrested Amethi from then-union minister Smriti Irani of the BJP by a margin of 1.67 lakh votes. She had defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 election.