Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sacks her secretary over Congress' poor performance in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, takes no ownership herself

Shifting the blame for the poor performance and massive debacle of Congress party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has sacked her personal secretary Dhiraj Srivastava, sources told Republic on Monday.

Dhiraj Srivastava was appointed Priyanka Gandhi's OSD in February, weeks after she was appointed as the Congress General Secretary for UP East. He had held a prominent position in the Prime Minister's office under the UPA government and had been a part of policy decision of the UPA government. Believed to be a public policy expert.

As per sources, Dhiraj Srivastav was a close aide to senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot who also served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to both of them previously. He was given the task to focus on Uttar Pradesh specifically by the Congress during the 2019 Lok Sabha election, where the Grand Old Party lost massively retaining only one seat Raebarelu by the UPA Chairperson.

This development has come days after the Congress General Secretary had reprimanded party workers for not giving their best to make sure the party won the Lok Sabha polls, during her visit to Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli along with her mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. 

"I did not want to deliver any speech but since I have been made to speak, let me speak the truth. The truth is that this election was won with the help of Sonia Gandhi and the people of Raebareli," visibly upset Priyanka Gandhi had said. Priyanka had campaigned vigorously in favour of Congress candidates in UP, especially in Raebareli and Amethi. However, the party lost embarrassingly with a number of prominent leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi had to suffer major defeat in the elections.

Meanwhile, no top leadership in Congress is taking ownership of the loss of the party in the elections. This continues amidst the resignation drama by party president Rahul Gandhi, after which the senior leadership unanimously rejected Rahul's resignation.  

Following the loss in the General elections, Priyanka Gandhi is facing an uphill task to strengthen the party cadre in Uttar Pradesh in view of the upcoming bypoll and the Assembly elections due in 2022.

READ | "Let Me Speak The Truth": Priyanka Gandhi Reprimands Congress Workers For Not Giving Their Best In 2019 Lok Sabha Elections