UP: Sheila may be CM candidate but Priyanka will be face of Cong

Congress circles were abuzz with reports on Tuesday of a “bigger” role for Priyanka Gandhi in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, as also the projection of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the party’s chief ministerial candidate.

Interacting with journalists on Tuesday morning, Dikshit said: “I am the daughter-in-law of UP. That is a fact which no one can deny.” On her possible projection as the CM candidate, Dikshit said “the time is too short”, while asserting that she had “not been asked yet”.

Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of late Congress stalwart Uma Shankar Dikshit, who hailed from UP. It is rumoured that the Congress’ political strategist Prashant Kishor wants the party to contest the elections with a high-profile CM candidate to fight the might of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s SP and Mayawati’s BSP.

Kishor reportedly wanted Priyanka Gandhi to accept the role initially. Dikshit was also approached — she being a “Brahmin face” — the aim being to regroup the Congress’ erstwhile vote base comprising Brahmins, Dalits and Muslims.

There has also been reports of a “bigger role” for Priyanka Gandhi, who has been campaigning in UP during most recent elections.

While Gandhi has so far confined herself to the Gandhi family’s bastions of Amethi, Rae Bareli and Sultanpur, the Congress is hoping that she will campaign across the State and improve the party’s prospects.

When asked if Priyanka would participate more actively in Congress’ UP campaign, Dikshit said she would be a “great asset”. “It would be too presumptuous on my part to assume things. If she joins, she will very welcome,” Dikshit said.

At the Congress headquarters, indications were that the top leaders were awaiting a formal nod from Priyanka. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the in-charge of party affairs in Uttar Pradesh, has already favoured Priyanka’s involvement. He also expressed possibility of the Congress projecting a CM candidate.

The party’s chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala did not rule out the possibility of an extended role for Priyanka or Dikshit being the CM candidate. He said Azad had given the Congress chief a “blueprint for action”on Uttar Pradesh. “If and when any decision is taken regarding the role of Priyanka Gandhi, we will share it with the media,” he said.

Surjewala hailed Dikshit as a “very, very senior and seasoned” leader who has done “pioneering” work as Delhi Chief Minister. .

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