Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Congress appoints Priyanka Gandhi Vadra general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
The Congress on Wednesday appointed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East). Besides this, Jyotiraditya Scindia has been appointed party general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (West).
KC Venugopal will take over as Congress general secretary (Organisation).
"The party appreciates the contribution of Shri Ashok Gehlot as AICC General Secretary (Organisation)," the letter, signed by Rajasthan chief minister and incumbent party general secretary Ashok Gehlot read.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will take charge with effect in the first week of February.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azadhas been appointed Congress general secretary for Haryana with immediate effect.
"The party appreciates the contribution of Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad as AICC General Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. He will now be AICC General Secretary for Haryana with immediate effect," the letter stated.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi reacted to the latest development saying,"Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia are powerful leaders. We wanted the young leaders to change Uttar Pradesh politics."
The appointment initiates Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's active participation in country's politics right ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The decision is seen as significant and pivotal for Congress' electoral plan ahead of this year's general elections.
The move closely follows the announcement of the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh earlier this month, leaving Congress out in cold.
Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati to contest 38 each of Uttar Pradesh's 80 seats leaving two seats for other parties in the alliance.
SP-BSP alliance will not field any candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli and will leave both the seats for the Congress, BSP chief Mayawati said earlier this month.
In an interview with news agency PTI, SP chief Akhilesh Yadavsaid that despite his "immense respect" for Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the grand old party was kept out of the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh to correct "poll arithmetic" in order to defeat the BJP.
Without ruling out the possibility of working with the Congress after polls, Akhilesh said he has good relations with the party and would be "happy" if the next prime minister was from his home state.
Asked if the SP was open to working with Congress after the polls, Akhilesh said, "We can't answer it right now. We will answer it after the elections. But I can say this much that the country wants a new prime minister and it will have one after polls".
Meanwhile, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday clarified that the Congress has no "enmity" with BSP supremo Mayawati and that Congress will "cooperate with them wherever possible."
(With inputs from agencies)