The news is bound to bring cheer in the Congress camp, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.
Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has finally indicated that she is open to the idea of campaigning for the Congress but only if her brother Rahul Gandhi wants her to do so.
Ms Vadra told reporters in Rae Bareli on Tuesday that, “I am here to campaign in Amethi and Rae Bareli right now. I will do anything that Rahul wants me to do. However, I have not yet decided on joining active politics but if Rahul wants me to campaign, I will campaign.”
However, Ms Vadra evaded questions about her future role in politics. Asked what would be her decision if Rahul wanted her to enter active politics, she said, “My brother knows to what extent he needs me here.”
Significantly, there have been large number of requests for Ms Vadra’s campaign by Congress candidates and her statement on Tuesday has obviously enthused many of them.
Almost all Congress candidates feel that Ms Vadra’s charisma and ability to connect with the people can swing votes in their favour.
“If she agrees to campaign, it could be the proverbial icing on the cake because Rahul ji has already prepared the ground for the party’s revival with his vigorous campaigning. Together, Rahul-Priyanka can work magic and bring Congress back to power after 22 years,” said a Congress candidate from Kanpur.
Ms Vadra is in Amethi and Rae Bareli to campaign for the 10 Assembly seats here and she has been trying to hear out complaints and resolve difference between the various factions in the party.
During the Lok Sabha elections too, Ms Vadra had campaigned for mother Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and for brother Rahul Gandhi in Amethi and had supervised the entire poll management down to booth committees. However, she had not campaigned outside the two constituencies except for a brief appearance in Barabanki.
Meanwhile, about 150-odd women workers of the factory stopped Ms Vadra’s convoy on Tuesday and pleaded with her to get a handloom factory restarted at the earliest. Ms Vadra assured them that she would do her best to solve their problem.