Priyanka Gandhi back to U.P. for poll campaign

<p>Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has got down to business. A day after a roadshow and being with her mother-in-law in Jaipur, the newly-appointed Congress general secretary and east UP in charge met the party workers and sought details of their social media accounts.</p>

<p>The politicians and party workers who want to meet Priyanka are given a form asking for basic information like age, electoral experience, whether they have held any organisational positions, their Twitter handles and WhatsApp numbers.</p>

<p>The information about Twitter handles is being sought to gauge the social media presence of the individual.</p>

<p>Congress has been late on this platform but realised its importance in shaping public opinion. Just days ago, Priyanka Gandhi also made a debut on Twitter and got lakhs of followers in just a few hours.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Feedback Form" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f7d1e0f-f1bd-4866-85bc-86a4a970db72" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Form%20%281%29.jpg" /></p>

<p>BSP president Mayawati also opened a Twitter account recently in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. There was a time when her party used to say that BSP supporters do not watch TV and don't get influenced by surveys. This myth was shattered both in the last Lok Sabha elections as well as Uttar Pradesh assembly elections where BSP suffered major reverses. It is for this reason that Congress wants to map social influencers within its own organisation.</p>

<p>The WhatsApp number is being sought because Congress wants to create a feedback and direct communication mechanism with every person within the party's eco-system. It wants to turn a platform made for personal communication into a broadcast mechanism. The BJP used WhatsApp brilliantly in Gujarat and snatched the elections from the jaws of defeat.</p>

<p>The collation will allow Data Analytics department in Delhi to create faster and honest feedback for the leadership.</p>

<p>But what makes this form truly Indian is that it also asks for the caste and sub-caste status of an individual. The caste system is India's hard and ugly reality and no political party in the country gives tickets without taking caste into consideration. So is the case with Congress.</p>

<p>Every party speaks against the caste system. Indian Constitution intends to correct social inequity caused by the caste system through the reservation. Even then political parties do not move away from the caste matrix.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is the irony of the Indian politics that commitment to erase caste from public life remains only on paper and seminar halls.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)</em></p>


Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has got down to business. A day after a roadshow and being with her mother-in-law in Jaipur, the newly-appointed Congress general secretary and east UP in charge met the party workers and sought details of their social media accounts.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has got down to business. A day after a roadshow and being with her mother-in-law in Jaipur, the newly-appointed Congress general secretary and east UP in charge met the party workers and sought details of their social media accounts. The politicians and party workers who want to meet Priyanka are given a form asking for basic information like age, electoral experience, whether they have held any organisational positions, their Twitter handles and WhatsApp numbers. The information about Twitter handles is being sought to gauge the social media presence of the individual. Congress has been late on this platform but realised its importance in shaping public opinion. Just days ago, Priyanka Gandhi also made a debut on Twitter and got lakhs of followers in just a few hours. BSP president Mayawati also opened a Twitter account recently in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. There was a time when her party used to say that BSP supporters do not watch TV and don't get influenced by surveys. This myth was shattered both in the last Lok Sabha elections as well as Uttar Pradesh assembly elections where BSP suffered major reverses. It is for this reason that Congress wants to map social influencers within its own organisation. The WhatsApp number is being sought because Congress wants to create a feedback and direct communication mechanism with every person within the party's eco-system. It wants to turn a platform made for personal communication into a broadcast mechanism. The BJP used WhatsApp brilliantly in Gujarat and snatched the elections from the jaws of defeat. The collation will allow Data Analytics department in Delhi to create faster and honest feedback for the leadership. But what makes this form truly Indian is that it also asks for the caste and sub-caste status of an individual. The caste system is India's hard and ugly reality and no political party in the country gives tickets without taking caste into consideration. So is the case with Congress. Every party speaks against the caste system. Indian Constitution intends to correct social inequity caused by the caste system through the reservation. Even then political parties do not move away from the caste matrix. This is the irony of the Indian politics that commitment to erase caste from public life remains only on paper and seminar halls. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Hard to ignore? Congress form asks for caste along with Twitter, WhatsApp

<p>Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took Lucknow by storm Monday afternoon.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/priyanka-gandhi-enters-active-politics-congress-plays-its-last-trump-card-192277">The recently-appointed Congress general secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh</a>, accompanied by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Raj Babbar, held a 20-kilometre roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>UP is the country's most important state politically — sending 80 members to the Lok Sabha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, Priyanka and the other Congress leaders rode out of the Lucknow airport on an open-top bus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's like Indira Gandhi has come back," Reuters reported Fuzail Ahmed Khan, 45, a Congress supporter as saying. "The state's farmers want Rahul Gandhi to be prime minister, Priyanka to be chief minister."</p>

<p>As Priyanka's cavalcade rolled through the streets of Lucknow, Congress workers showered rose petals and threw marigold garlands at her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some posters showed Priyanka Gandhi as Goddess Durga on a lion.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Congress' roadshow in Lucknow. General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi are crossing Transport Nagar <a href="https://t.co/MbKZc4fNnF">pic.twitter.com/MbKZc4fNnF</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1094882545831985152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia sit down to avoid overhanging electrical wires during their roadshow in Lucknow. <a href="https://t.co/1lVmDMOyrV">pic.twitter.com/1lVmDMOyrV</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1094900337088086017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from the roadshow of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lucknow <a href="https://t.co/J7aZUJc5Dw">pic.twitter.com/J7aZUJc5Dw</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1094911889564258305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyanka is Maa Durga's incarnation)," read a poster. Another highlighted her resemblance with her grandmother Indira Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I hope that we can together start a new kind of politics," Priyanka said in an audio message shared by Congress.</p>

<p>Priyanka has helped manage elections for her brother Rahul and her mother, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, but has never held an official party post up until now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We'll play on front foot. Scindia ji, Priyanka ji and I won't rest until a government of Congress' ideology is formed here," Rahul said addressing the crowd.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lucknow: Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra &amp; Congress President Rahul Gandhi pay floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel <a href="https://t.co/limlEr4kMF">pic.twitter.com/limlEr4kMF</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1094921158695182337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a>: Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with a child during the roadshow in Lucknow. The girl says, "I gave her a garland &amp; she gave me a chocolate. Later, she returned the garland to me &amp; said, 'Stay happy'. <a href="https://t.co/0h9PPYCiCm">pic.twitter.com/0h9PPYCiCm</a></p>
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<p>The siblings later paid tribute to former Congressman and independent India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Priyanka did not speak.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took Lucknow by storm Monday afternoon. The recently-appointed Congress general secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Raj Babbar, held a 20-kilometre roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Monday.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took Lucknow by storm Monday afternoon. The recently-appointed Congress general secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by her brother and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and Congress leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Raj Babbar, held a 20-kilometre roadshow in the Uttar Pradesh capital on Monday. UP is the country's most important state politically — sending 80 members to the Lok Sabha. On Monday, Priyanka and the other Congress leaders rode out of the Lucknow airport on an open-top bus. "It's like Indira Gandhi has come back," Reuters reported Fuzail Ahmed Khan, 45, a Congress supporter as saying. "The state's farmers want Rahul Gandhi to be prime minister, Priyanka to be chief minister." As Priyanka's cavalcade rolled through the streets of Lucknow, Congress workers showered rose petals and threw marigold garlands at her. Some posters showed Priyanka Gandhi as Goddess Durga on a lion. #Visuals from Congress' roadshow in Lucknow. General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia and party President Rahul Gandhi are crossing Transport Nagar pic.twitter.com/MbKZc4fNnF — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 × #WATCH: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia sit down to avoid overhanging electrical wires during their roadshow in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/1lVmDMOyrV — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 × #Visuals from the roadshow of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lucknow pic.twitter.com/J7aZUJc5Dw — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 × "Maa Durga ka roop behen Priyankaji (Sister Priyanka is Maa Durga's incarnation)," read a poster. Another highlighted her resemblance with her grandmother Indira Gandhi. "I hope that we can together start a new kind of politics," Priyanka said in an audio message shared by Congress. Priyanka has helped manage elections for her brother Rahul and her mother, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, but has never held an official party post up until now. "We'll play on front foot. Scindia ji, Priyanka ji and I won't rest until a government of Congress' ideology is formed here," Rahul said addressing the crowd. Lucknow: Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & Congress President Rahul Gandhi pay floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel pic.twitter.com/limlEr4kMF — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 × #Visuals: Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with a child during the roadshow in Lucknow. The girl says, "I gave her a garland & she gave me a chocolate. Later, she returned the garland to me & said, 'Stay happy'. pic.twitter.com/0h9PPYCiCm — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 11, 2019 × The siblings later paid tribute to former Congressman and independent India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Priyanka did not speak. (With inputs from agencies)

'I hope we can together start a new kind of politics,' Priyanka Gandhi says on Lucknow roadshow