New Delhi: A “Priyanka lao, Congress bachao” campaign has begun in the Congress following its crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. While loyalists want her to choose the time for a “bigger role”, her emergence is unlikely to pose any threat to her brother Rahul Gandhi, the party vice-president, who can be elevated after the Congress organisational elections next year, they said.
Though there is no challenge to the "first family" of the party, which won 44 Lok Sabha seats, the lowest-ever since Independence, party MPs and AICC officials say that the "Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi triad” can revive the Congress after the historic setback.
AICC leader Oscar Fernandes on Tuesday told TV channels that Ms Priyanka Gandhi should be “more active” in the Congress, adding that she should give more time to the party and that she does not need a post.
A loyalist of the Gandhi-Nehru family said that everybody in the party wants Ms Priyanka Gandhi to play a larger role. She is charismatic, articulate and connects easily with people and party workers. "But in politics, timing is important. Priyanka should become active only after the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir," he said. This is to ensure that any possible adverse outcome in these states would not affect her image.
The party rank and file said that Ms Priyanka Gandhi’s emergence would not create another “centre of power” in the organisation, though they were not sure whether Mrs Gandhi would make way for Mr Rahul Gandhi as party president.
But the “Bring Priyanka, save the Congress” campaign has certainly put a question mark over Mr Rahul Gandhi’s ability to lead the party.
