Welcoming his sister's entry into active politics, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, 23 January, said he was "very happy" that Priyanka will assist him in the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that he was ready to cooperate with BSP-SP to defeat the BJP.
“I am very happy that my sister Priyanka will assist me in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls, she is very capable,” Rahul said.
He also said that Jyotiraditya Scindia is a “dynamic youth leader.”
Rahul's comments came hours after Priyanka became AICC general secretary and was made in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Scindia was given the charge of western Uttar Pradesh.
“The Congress is fighting for its ideology... Priyanka and Jyotiraditya are young and strong leaders and with their help we want to change the politics of Uttar Pradesh,” Rahul said, adding he had complete faith that both of them will work and give what is required to Uttar Pradesh and its youth.
Rahul’s Response to Whether Priyanka Will Contest LS Polls
To a question whether Priyanka will contest the Lok Sabha election, he said it is up to her but his point is that the party will not play on the backfoot anywhere.
“We won’t play on the backfoot, we will play on the frontfoot, be it Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh. My point is that we do politics for the people and development and wherever we will get an opportunity we will play on the front foot,” he said without mincing words.
"I feel that this step will usher in a new kind of thinking and bring a positive change in Uttar Pradesh politics," he said.
On Being Kept Out of SP-BSP Alliance
On being kept out of the SP-BSP alliance, he said, "SP, BSP have formed alliance in Uttar Pradesh to defeat the BJP. I have no animosity against them. I have to take forward Congress ideology and make place for Congress philosophy in Uttar Pradesh," Rahul told newspersons here.
His remarks assume significance in the light of the Congress party's decision to go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
To a question if today's announcement was aimed at countering the BSP-SP alliance, from which Congress has been left out, the Congress president said:
“I have said this earlier too that they have stitched an alliance and the aim of all of us is to defeat the BJP. There is no animosity against Mayawati or Akhilesh... but we have to fight for the Congress ideology and will fight in Uttar Pradesh with our full strength...if they want to talk there is no problem with it,” he stressed.
Rahul said that he was ready to "cooperate" with these parties to defeat the BJP.
He reiterated that he respected both BSP president Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"Our ideologies have many similarities... Our fight is against the BJP, and wherever we can cooperate with Mayawati and Akhilesh we are ready to do so," he said.
"Wherever we can work together to defeat the BJP, we will cooperate... But nevertheless is our job to take the Congress ideology ahead and make a place for it for which we have taken a big step," Rahul added.
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