Priyanka Gandhi wraps up five-day UP tour before assembly polls
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday left for Delhi after wrapping up her five-day tour of Uttar Pradesh during which she exhorted party workers to work round the clock for the 2022 UP Assembly polls. Ending her five-day tour, Priyanka told party workers in Rae Bareli that the Congress was planning to declare candidates well in time for the upcoming elections.
Priyanka had begun her tour on Thursday, starting with Lucknow
Faced with a stiff challenge to halt Congress's slide in the state, she had begun her tour on Thursday, starting with state capital Lucknow. On Friday, Congress had announced a 12,000 km-long yatra through villages and towns of the state ahead of the assembly polls.
Views of office-bearers are crucial for ticket distribution: Priyanka
The decision to take out the yatra was taken at a meeting presided over by Priyanka and attended by members of the party's advisory and strategy committee. The Congress general secretary the next day held marathon meetings with party office-bearers in Lucknow and said their views would be crucial in the distribution of tickets for the upcoming polls.
Priyanka on Sunday toured the Rae Bareli constituency
Priyanka on Sunday toured Rae Bareli constituency, the bastion of the Gandhi family since the days of Indira Gandhi. Rae Bareli has five assembly seats out of which two each are with the Congress and the BJP, and one is with Samajwadi Party. Congress President Sonia Gandhi represents the Rae Bareli constituency in the Lok Sabha.
Priyanka exhorted party workers to work round the clock
According to Rae Bareli district Congress committee spokesperson Vinay Dwivedi, office bearers of the district unit and city unit of the party met Priyanka. "Members of various frontal organizations, party candidates, and zila panchayat members of the Congress also met her," he said. During her visit to UP, she exhorted party workers to work round the clock for the polls.
Prospective candidates were told to submit applications by September 26
Priyanka had said that a strong Congress organization was equally important for nation-building. "The party also told prospective candidates to submit applications by September 26," a party leader had said.
Elections in UP due in early 2022
Elections in Uttar Pradesh will likely be held in February-March, 2022. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government has been facing criticism for its handling of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, an issue repeatedly raised by Opposition parties to improve their prospects. Meanwhile, both the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are looking to make a comeback in the state.
Aam Aadmi Party will contest all 403 seats
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on all 403 seats. Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said a list of 120 candidates has been prepared and all the names will be declared soon. The party will also take out "Tiranga Yatras" in all the Assembly constituencies of the state.
