Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been reportedly facing resistance from the party’s old leaders as she attempts to rebuild the party in Uttar Pradesh.
The displeasure and discord within the party were evident when during a recent meeting, called by Gandhi scion at UP Congress headquarters on Wednesday, out of over 350 former MPs, MLAs, MLCs and 2017 Vidhan Sabha and 2019 Lok Sabha election candidates of Congress invited, only 40 persons showed up.
It is being speculated that Priyanka Gandhi, who was roped with a hope to get the upper hand in national politics has failed to make an impression within her own party. It is being believed that there is resentment within the party over the exclusion of old-timers from UPCC.
A report in Times Of India states that veteran members of the Congress party are planning to meet the interim president, Sonia Gandhi to raise this particular issue. The faction has already held two meetings in the past fortnight to voice resentment against the ‘undemocratic and ‘arbitrary’ way in which the ‘new leadership’ has been imposed on loyal cadres.
Priyanka Gandhi’s plans for replacing the older section with younger blood seems to be backfiring. The old guard, as per the TOI report, held the first meeting at the residence of Siraj Mehndi in the month of November. Interestingly, Mehdi had tendered resignation to Sonia in October saying that not a single Shia was taken in the Uttar Pradesh Congress team.
One leader expressing disappointment after the second meeting held on November 14 revealed that a Congress veteran even pointed fingers at Priyanka, saying “Congress is not a private limited company,”
Another meeting is to be held soon at former MLA Ranjan Singh Solanki’s residence in Noida where members of the delegation for meeting Sonia will be chosen.
Read: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra: How Congress’ ‘masterstroke’ may have just been a damp squib
If things continue like this, the grand old party is sure to fragmentise sooner or later. But what is surprising is that instead of trying to resolve this internal crisis in the party, the Gandhi scion has been putting her heart and soul in trying to malign the BJP government.
Priyanka’s activities have been betraying her lack of vision and any long-term planning to take on the BJP. She has been found giving in to cheap theatrics by her supporters, portraying a negative image by allowing the use of children to throw filthy expletives against the PM and at one point, even admitting to the media that Congress expects to only ‘cut’ BJP’s votes.
It is notable here that despite massive media support, PR machinery and constant projection of Priyanka as a ‘saviour’ for the sinking Congress, she had failed miserably in the general elections. The Congress had lost deposits in 63 of the 67 seats in Uttar Pradesh, where Priyanka was made the general secretary and in-charge. It had won only 1 seat, that of party president Sonia Gandhi in Raebareli. Priyanka’s eastern UP had seen a total and brutal rout of Congress.
