Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s, meeting with the senior Congress leaders like Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh, at Rahul Gandhi’s residence, made everyone sit up and take notice. Just few months ahead of the General Elections, her huddle with the Congress leaders have led to various kind of speculations.
The leaders of Congress, as usual, have been trying to downplay the entire event. Party spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala said, "If she has come to her brother`s residence and a meeting is going on there and she meets those leaders out of courtesy, this cannot be a matter of dispute…..Not much should be read into this."
But her presence is seen as an ominous sign by many political analysts.
Till now, though Priyanka has not been into active politics, she has always been active in Rae Bareli and Amethi, the constituencies of her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi. She has always said that she is happily married and busy with her husband and kids, and only steps forward to her mother and brother.
Notably supporters of Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family always wanted Priyanka to take up active politics. People even said she was a reminder of her grandmother Indira Gandhi, both in appearance and mentality. Media reports about Priyanka’s larger role in the Congress and the next General Elections have been around sporadically, but leaders of Congress have strenuously denied any kind of move. But when she was seen in consultation with the Congress leaders, it has been read as her foray finally into active politics.
Her meeting with the top brass Congress is said to be about the impending announcement of Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the next General Elections. Reportedly, she was in the meeting to discuss the future course for Rahul- his projection and the plan for campaign strategy. The official line though was the meeting was to discuss Sonia’s and Rahul’s tour programmes.
It is also been speculated that Priyanka Gandhi might replace her mother Sonia Gandhi for Rae Bareli seat. But her plunge into the electoral politics will be a big problem to the Congress party and a bigger problem for Rahul Gandhi. It will be more like admitting that Rahul lacks the charisma and the necessary qualities to tackle BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. It is also a fear that Priyanka’s stature might undermine his brother’s position.
But with an almost total wipe out in the assembly elections, only a consolation in form of Mizoram, things have taken a worse turn for the UPA and the Congress party. To make matters worse, it has been receiving serious flak for its policies, rising prices and corruption.
If Modi was not enough, newly appointed Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal has the potential qualities to spoil Congress` image and cause further damage to the party. With the General Elections just round the corner, Congress is in a pretty hopeless and desperate situation. But if it replaces the brother with the sister, it would not only nullify Congress’ status but would embarrass the Nehru-Gandhi family too.
But Priyanka looks like has a more stable head on her shoulders and would not fall for such antics by the party thereby destroying her brother’s future. Sonia’s recent health had the speculations rife with the daughter replacing her in Rae Bareli, as she has been seen lot more in the constituency. Only time will tell if such a drastic step would be taken. It just might be that all the stories don’t have any solid ground. Though, Priyanka might step out of Rae Bareli and Amethi, and canvas extensively for the party, it will surely only to provide some strength to failing party and not to pursue a career in active politics.
