LUCKNOW: Expressing hope that

between union law minister Salman Khurshid and the

(EC) on the sub-quota for Muslims would be sorted out soon, Congress party's star campaigner in UP assembly elections

on Monday said that everyone is free to voice his or her opinion during elections and so is the EC.

"People are free to air their views. We are a democracy. The EC is also free to give its opinion. Matter is between two constitutional bodies...Such things happen during elections but I am confident that matter will be resolved soon,” Priyanka told reporters in Rae Bareli when asked about the controversy triggered after the EC wrote to President

complaining about Khurshid's "defiant" attitude on his remarks on providing a job quota for minorities. Earlier, Priyanka had also backed union home minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum allocation after he was given clean chit by the trial court.

Last week, the EC had censured Khurshid for violating the model code of conduct when he had said in a public meeting, while campaigning for UP assembly elections that if voted to power, the Congress will increase the Muslim sub-quota in other backward classes category from 4.5% to 9%. However, Khurshid overlooked the warning and at a public meeting in Farrukhabad said that he does not care even if `he was hanged by EC for espousing cause of the poor Muslims'.

"If they want to hang me they can, they can hang me for committing to people for a quota...We will change the fate of the poor, even if we have to go against EC, we will change the fate of the poor. I will then come and stand in front of the court of the people and fight my case. I want to stand in the court of the people and ask, 'isn't it the right of the people'?" Khurshid had said while addressing people.

Subsequently, on February 11, the EC wrote to the President complaining against Khurshid's conduct. The EC in its letter to the President said: "The commission is shocked that instead of being remorseful about the violation of the model code, that carries the consensus of all political parties and the sanction of the Supreme Court, the minister has chosen to be defiant and aggressive. This is unprecedented." The President forwarded the commission's letter to the Prime Minister's Office for "appropriate action".

Besides Muslim quota statement, recently Khurshid had created an uncomfortable situation for the Congress party when at a rally at Azamgarh he claimed that party president supremo

was in tears when she was shown the images of the Batla House encounter in which Muslim youth who were terror suspects were killed. However, Khurshid's statement was disputed by party colleague Digvijay Singh. The statements on Muslims are said to be part of Congress's strategy to woo Muslims who constitute 18% of UP's population and can tilt results in over 130 assembly seats out of total 403.

Regarding assembly elections in Rae Bareli and Amethi, Priyanka said that she feels that the Congress will win all the ten seats in the two districts. She also said that she hopes that the Congress will be in a position to form government in the state. When asked if her brother and Congress party general secretary

has taken some tips on campaigning from her, Priyanka said that Rahul has his own original style and he does not require to take lessons from anybody. To a question on Ramdev making comments against her, Priyanka said "if people make personalised attacks clearly they don't understand the issues of these elections." Asked about her mother Sonia Gandhi's health, she said, "My mother is absolutely healthy."