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Updated July 4th, 2021 at 21:54 IST

UP Congress chief touts Priyanka Gandhi as 'storm of change'; confident of victory in 2022

Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Sunday said that the 2022 UP assembly polls and campaign will be conducted under the supervision of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Reported by: Jitesh Vachhatani
Congress
Image Credits: ANI/PTI | Image:self
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As the race to 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections heats up, state Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Sunday said that the polls and campaign will be conducted under the supervision of  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, adding that a decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate to oppose Yogi Adityanath will be taken by the high command. Touting the Congress general secretary as the 'storm of change', Lallu exuded confidence in his party's ability to overpower the ruling BJP government in the state without forging an alliance with any of the regional parties. Pre-empting a 'wind of change' in Uttar Pradesh, Lallu said that the Congress has been strengthened at various levels in UP under Priyanka Gandhi's leadership.

Pertinently, Priyanka Gandhi is yet to make her debut on the electoral grounds even though she holds popular sway in Rae Bareli - Congress' stronghold. While the Vidhan Sabha seat is held by Aditi Singh, who was suspended from the Congress last year, it remains to be seen if Priyanka Gandhi will be fielded from Rae Bareli to formally enter electoral politics. In the 403-seater UP Assembly, the Congress holds only 7 seats whereas the ruling BJP alliance holds 315 seats. 

In an interview with PTI, Lallu said Congress has emerged as the main challenger to the "oppressive" UP government and claimed that his party with just five legislators has proven to be a more effective opposition than the Samajwadi Party (SP) which has 49 MLAs in the 403-member assembly.

He said "winds of change" were blowing in UP and added, "Badlav ki aandhi hai, jiska naam Priyanka Gandhi hai (There is a storm of change and its name is Priyanka Gandhi)."

"The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking at Congress with hope. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the workers and under her leadership, the Congress government will be formed in UP," he said. His remarks come at a time when the party has shifted gears for the assembly elections with the state unit organising zone-wise training camps of block presidents, district presidents and other office-bearers to prepare workers for the polls.

'Congress is the main opposition to the BJP': Lallu

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is likely to visit several districts this month with an aim to enthuse the cadre and prepare the party for a pitched electoral battle with the ruling BJP. A day after Yogi Adityanath confidently asserted that the BJP will return to power with 300+ seats even if all opposition parties unite to form a formidable front, Lallu remarked that the Congress has the capacity to fight the polls alone without an alliance. On whether votes could get divided if the SP, the BSP and the Congress contest separately, Lallu said people had given the opportunity to the other political players in the state but they were not able to stay true to the faith shown by the people and now it was the Congress' turn.

"There is frustration and disappointment in BJP and SP, the Congress with its determination is going to make a comeback in UP under Priyanka Gandhi's leadership. We have full faith in the people," he said, stressing that Congress was the BJP's main challenger in the polls. Claiming that the three farm laws were a big issue in UP, Lallu said Congress stood against the laws, and farmers would support the party.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Published July 4th, 2021 at 21:54 IST

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