lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Feb 14, 2019 23:15 IST

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress’ recently-named general secretaries of east and west Uttar Pradesh, wrapped up their four-day visit to Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, although they are expected to return soon to tour the Lok Sabha constituencies in their charge.

On Thursday, Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia were expected to introduce sitting BJP MLA Avatar Singh Bhadana, and former Union minister Ram Lal Rahi (now with the BJP) who have moved to the Congress, but cancelled the press conference scheduled to do this as a mark of solidarity with the families of CRPF jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack.

“Our jawans have been killed in the terror attack in Pulwama. We do not think it proper to hold any political discussion. Former union minister of state Ram Lal Rahi and BJP MLA Avtar Singh Bhadana are here to join the Congress. I request you all to mourn the deaths. I want to tell the families of the jawans killed there that all the citizens are with you in thus hour of grief,” said a visibly emotional Priyanka Vadra. The two leaders left after observing two-minutes silence as a mark of respect.

Over the past four days, Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia have met people from various Lok Sabha constituencies, and also firmed up an alliance with the Mahan Dal.

Their tour of Lok Sabha constituencies is likely to take place before the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meets in Ahmedabad on February 26 to discuss the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

Apart from endorsing Rahul Gandhi’s minimum guarantee income proposal, the meeting will also welcome the induction of Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia in the party’s highest decision making body.

The move to hold the CWC meeting in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah comes in the backdrop of the decision taken by Rahul Gandhi to hold such meetings outside Delhi. The last CWC meeting was held at the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra, on October 2 last year to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The defection of Bhadana, who is a siting MLA from Mirapur assembly seat of Muzaffarnagar is seen as a jolt to the BJP ahead of polls. Rahi’s son Suresh Rahi is a BJP MLA from Hargaon assembly constituency of Sitapur. Both leaders have been in the Congress previously.