Priyanka takes up Congress role in UP after over a decade behind the scenes

The 47-yr-old to take over as gen secy for eastern UP; may contest from Rae Bareli.

With the general elections less than 90 days away, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday appointed his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, which constitutes roughly 40 Lok Sabha seats, including their family bastions of Amethi and Rae Bareli and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi constituency.

Priyanka, who turned 47 earlier this month, has been an important, behind-the-scenes figure in the party’s decision-making processes for over a decade, but Wednesday’s announcement marks her official political debut. With UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi having already indicated her desire to retire from electoral politics, the move could pave the way for Priyanka’s entry into the electoral arena and she could contest from Rae Bareli, the seat currently represented by her mother, party sources said.

Her appointment, however, opened the Congress to renewed attacks from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over “dynastic politics” and "lack of inner-democracy".

BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra said the Congress had admitted to Rahul Gandhi having “failed” in providing leadership.

(Business Standard)

The Congress's allies, including Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, welcomed the news, though. Congress strategists believe Priyanka's charisma would help the party perform better in key states of UP and Bihar in the Lok Sabha polls. The appointment has ramifications, at least in UP, not just for the principal rival BJP, but also the frenemies Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP).

Speaking to reporters in Amethi, the Congress president indicated his party would be willing to renegotiate its electoral understanding in UP with the SP and the BSP. Earlier this month, the two parties had announced their alliance in UP for the Lok Sabha polls, keeping the Congress out of it but also promising that they would not field any candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli. The three parties are looking at what within the Congress is called the 'Jangipur model', where the Congress might put up strong fights in 15-20 seats in the state and help the SP and the BSP by eating into the BJP's upper caste votes in the rest. In bargain, the SP and the BSP would field weak candidates in the Congress strongholds.

For the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, nearly all hands are now on deck for the Lok Sabha polls. While their first cousin Varun Gandhi is currently a BJP Lok Sabha member from Sultanpur in UP, it is little secret that he is out of favour in the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah dispensation and there is speculation of his joining the Congress.

Many within the Congress view Priyanka's appointment as the dynasty sounding the war bugle against Modi and the Shah-led BJP. Some said the move was also the party's last throw of the dice to win over the electorate in not just UP, but also northern Bihar.

The loss of party's influence in UP and Bihar post-1989 has meant the Congress never winning a majority in the Lok Sabha in the last 30 years.

10% quota move will backfire on BJP; 'bahujans' feeling duped: Tejashwi

The government has amended the Constitution without any report from any commission or social and economic survey, said Tejashwi.

The move of granting 10 per cent quota to general category poor will "backfire" on the BJP as the "bahujans" (majority) are feeling duped, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has said.

The Modi government met a key demand of those castes, which had so far not been covered under reservation benefits, earlier this month as it got a Constitution amendment bill passed in Parliament to give 10 per cent quota in education and jobs for the general category poor.

Yadav slammed the government's move as hasty and said that like demonetisation it was implemented hurriedly. Reservation was not a poverty alleviation programme, he added.

The government has amended the Constitution without any report from any commission or social and economic survey, he told PTI.

"To make such a provision, the government must have supporting data and figures, but the Modi government doesn't have that. They implemented it in a hurry, just like demonetisation. The BJP will bear the consequences of it," the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said.

Asked if the government's move to give reservation to the general category poor will have an impact on the Lok Sabha polls, Yadav said contrary to the general perception, the reservation for the "so-called poor upper caste" persons will "backfire" on the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

"The Bahujan class is feeling duped... While it was stated that there is a cap of 50 per cent on reservations, but, suddenly the government opens a pandora's box and exceeds reservations beyond 50 per cent, that too without any demand, agitation or movement by beneficiary classes," the former Bihar deputy chief minister said.

"Now, the honourable Supreme Court will have to play by its own yardstick," he said.

'Bahujans', a reference to communities seen as traditionally backward and poor, were denied further reservation in the name of this 50 per cent limit, Yadav said.

Reservation is for ensuring representation to those who have been suffering for ages due to all kinds of inhuman atrocities and restrictions in the name of caste, he said.

"If atrocities were heaped in the name of caste, how can assertive steps or remedial measures be in the name of economic status," Yadav asked.

The RJD leader alleged the government was changing the narrative from caste-based atrocities to economic status to suit its "upper caste mindset".

"On what basis did the government give 10 per cent reservation to those who are already enjoying de facto 50 per cent reservation and in reality much more than that. And what about the caste-based census data? Why it is being hidden by the government? Is it banana republic or a democracy" he asked.

Business Standard