‘Will Contest From Varanasi if Rahul Asks me to’: Priyanka Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, on Priyanka contesting from Varanasi, had said “Let’s see. Let there be some suspense for now!’

File image of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

(Photo: PTI)

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday, 21 April, said she would contest elections from Varanasi if Congress president and her brother Rahul Gandhi asks her to contest.

“If Congress President asks me to contest, I will be happy to contest.”

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to ANI

The comment comes amid speculation of Priyanka Gandhi’s candidature in the Lok Sabha 2019 elections. Within the Congress party, there have been many asking Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest the national elections from Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul Gandhi, in an interview to Hindi daily Hindustan, a sister publication of Hindustan Times, had said, “Let’s see. Let there be some suspense for now!”

If Rahul Gandhi decides to field sister Priyanka from Varanasi, it will be a contest between her and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP’s Varanasi candidate.

Earlier in March, Priyanka, who is the AICC general secretary in eastern Uttar Pradesh, had hinted she might fight from Varanasi, but the party seems intent on keeping the element of surprise.

She had replied with “Why not Varanasi?” after a party worker requested her to contest the election from mother Sonia Gandhi’s parliamentary constituency, Raebareli.

After entering active politics in January this year, she has maintained the stance that she will contest polls if the party asks her to, but that her personal wish is to work in organising the party.

(With inputs from ANI and Hindustan Times)