Congress party and its president Rahul Gandhi continue to keep everybody guessing on whether party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"I am ready to contest and will contest from Varanasi if Rahul Gandhi asks me," Priyanka said in Wayanad on Sunday, winding up her two-day trip to her brother's constituency.
According to reports, UP cadres of the Congress party have demanded that Priyanka be fielded in any of the constituencies from the state. “Let’s see. Let there be some suspense for now!,” said Rahul Gandhi in an interview to the Hindustan newspaper.
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Priyanka had already dropped enough hints about her possible electoral plunge. Weeks ago, when a party worker requested her to contest from Rae Bareli, the constituency of her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the young leader sportively responded: “Why not Varanasi?”
Varanasi goes to polls in the final phase of elections on May 19. The last date for filing nomination is April 29. According to reports, the Congress is likely to make a surprise move by filing Priyanka's nomination on the last day.
Last week, Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra said his wife was ready to contest from Varanasi against Modi.
Priyanka has been on the vigorous campaign trail ever since she was appointed the Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East. Last month, Priyanka had taken a boat ride on the river Ganga from Prayagraj (Allahabad) to Varanasi and launched a scathing attack on Modi for making “false” promises.