Sonia Asks Raj Babbar to Look at Uttar Pradesh Role as a ‘Mission’

On Priyanka’s role in the Uttar Pradesh elections, he gave no certain answer.

The actor-turned-politician is the new party chief in election-bound Uttar Pradesh. (Facebook/Raj Babbar)

A day after being appointed new Congress chief in Uttar Pradesh, Raj Babbar met party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi who advised him to consider the responsibility of upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh as a mission and not a challenge.

We will form the government and will reach out to everyone. Our main opposition is ‘loot-tantra’. The people of Uttar Pradesh are great and they know everything. We believe that people of Uttar Pradesh will do a ‘chamatkar’ (miracle) and when they decide they will elect us with a bigger majority.

Raj Babbar, Uttar Pradesh Congress President 

Babbar is entrusted with a big responsibility in Uttar Pradesh which is a crucial state for Congress with potential to change the fortunes of the Grand Old Party. Congress has been out of power in the state for 26 years, during which the state saw the emergence of ‘Mandal’ and ‘Mandir’ issues and the rise of BSP. 

Priyanka’s Role in UP Elections?

On Priyanka Gandhi’s role in the state, he said she is a prominent member of an important family, which has given supreme sacrifices for the country.

Where Congress is today, it is due to the Gandhi family. Congress is a family and a pillar that is everywhere and one cannot re-build it as it is there in every city, block and mohalla.

Raj Babbar, Uttar Pradesh Congress President 

However, he evaded questions on whether Congress is open to allying with parties like Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh. He reached out to Dalits and referred to Mayawati as ‘a respectable woman whom I respect a lot.’

(With PTI inputs)