Priyanka Gandhi 'surprised' by Mayawati's low-profile campaigning; 'BJP exerting pressure'

'We are very surprised that Mayawati's party has still not become active in the Uttar Pradesh Elections campaign', Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remarked on Saturday. Vadra, who had earlier declared herself as Congress' Chief Ministerial candidate, questioned the reason behind Mayawati's low-profile suggesting that the BJP may be exerting 'pressure' to prevent BSP from becoming active.

"I am also surprised seeing... six-seven months back, we used to think that her party is not active, maybe they will start (becoming active) close to elections. We were also very surprised that the election (season) has started... we are in the middle of the election (season), and yet, her party has not become active. As you said, (she) is very quiet, I am not able to understand," Priyanka Gandhi said in an interview with ANI. "It is possible that the BJP government is exerting pressure," she added.

Congress has a 'dynamic policy' on alliances: Vadra

The leader also opened up on Congress' decision to fight the UP battle solo, saying that the party may have a 'dynamic policy' when it comes to other states. She also shared how Congress had 'experimented' with alliances in the past in UP. "We had an alliance in 2017 with Samajwadi Party. Before that, we had an alliance with BSP. So in Uttar Pradesh, this is the path we have chosen. I cannot speak about other states, whether the Congress party would choose this path in those places. I think it will have a dynamic policy about this and it will make a decision according to what those decisions are," she said.

Earlier on Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had withdrawn her comment declaring herself as the CM face for UP Elections saying that she was 'irritated' after being asked the same question multiple times. "In some places, my party decides to declare the CM and in other places, it does not do so. That is how my party's approach. There is no hesitation," she said on being asked about her party's hesitancy in naming her as the CM candidate. 

The upcoming election in UP shall be held in 7 phases - February 10, February 14, February 20, February 23, February 27, March 3 and March 7, whereas the counting of votes shall take place on March 10.