Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a roadshow in Assam’s Silchar on Sunday, 14 April, on her first campaign trip outside Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
She was campaigning for Sushmita Dev, the president of All India Mahila Congress, who is contesting from the Silchar constituency.
The roadshow started from Silchar’s Sadarghat and culminated in the Rangirkhari area.
Dev is facing anti-incumbency, which is perhaps why the party decided to field its star campaigner.
“Priyanka Gandhi coming and campaigning in Silchar will make our win easier,” said Abhijit Pal, general secretary, Congress, as per a Hindustan Times report.
Priyanka Slams BJP Govt, Says its Policies Detrimental to Assam
“The politics you see today... the kind of government you have seen over the last five year... their (BJP government) policies and intent have both been negative. Congress granted you special status, they removed it after assuming power,” Priyanka said while addressing a crowd following her roadshow.
“During my travels across UP over the last two months, I observed how the youth are unemployed, the farmers are distressed and women unsafe. Similarly, there are many issued in your constituency that have not been solved... despite their wide-scale campaigning,” she added, reported ANI.
Constitution is not being respected, she added.
She also slammed PM Modi, saying he could not find time to look after the welfare of Varanasi, his own constituency. “Then how will he find time to work for you,” she added.
“Priyanka’s popularity is nation-wide. Being the All-India Mahila Congress president, I requested her and Rahul Gandhi to help by supporting me. Their visit will help enthuse supporters,” Dev said, as per ANI.
Last week, the Congress president had also come out in support of Dev, during a rally in neighbouring Karimganj constituency.
Silchar will vote in the second phase in the Lok Sabha polls on 18 April.
‘Voting for Dev Will Drag Silchar Backward’
Meanwhile, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday likened Dev to "Pakistan", and said there is no work for her in the constituency.
Addressing a public rally at Barkhola in support of BJP candidate Rajdeep Roy, Sarma said voting for Dev will drag Silchar backward by five years.
“PM is Modi, CM is Sonowal, I am the minister, Kishor Nath is MLA here. In between this, what is the job of Sushmita Dev? Everywhere is India, but there is a Pakistan in between. Will it work? No work will happen,” the NEDA Convenor said, as per PTI.
Voting in favour of PM Modi will be for development of the country, the state and Silchar, he added.
"You can see that Sushmita Dev is very nervous. First, she brought Rahul Gandhi, then Pakistan PM Imran Khan's friend Navjot Singh Sidhu. Tomorrow (Sunday) again, she is bringing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She knows that she did nothing in the last five years and is sure to lose," Sarma claimed.
Priyanka to Embark on UP River Ride
Priyanka, following her Silchar roadshow, is set to embark on a three-day river ride from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency of Varanasi to other eastern Uttar Pradesh districts at the end of this month, a party leader said on Sunday.
"She will travel on a motor boat at the end of this month and cover districts like Chandauli, Mau and Ballia," the leader told IANS.
The three-day programme comes almost a month after she completed a similar one from Prayagraj to Varanasi from 17-20 March when she covered a distance of 140 km.
On Monday, she will visit Sikri to seek votes for her party.
Besides Sikri, the Congress in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh will visit Barabanki on 23 April, Bundelkhand and Unnao from 24-26 April, and Sitapur and Dhaurhara on 27 April.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI, Hindustan Times)
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