While the BJP and the SP have already announced their chief ministerial candidates for the upcoming UP elections, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dropped a big hint on Friday, 21 January, suggesting that she would be the party’s CM face in the state Assembly elections.
While Gandhi was launching a ‘Youth Manifesto’ outlining the party’s vision for the youth of the Uttar Pradesh, she was asked about who the Congress party was pitching as its CM candidate.
Responding to the question, Gandhi said, "You can see my face everywhere, can't you?”
Her response triggered speculations on whether this was a confirmation from the party about its chief ministerial candidate.
When she was asked if she would indeed be contesting the election and where would she be contesting from, she said, “You will get to know. So far, we haven’t decided on anything.”
When asked about her statement on being the CM face later, Gandhi, in an interview with NDTV, said, "I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek. Because I am asked this question... every second question is the same question."
Interestingly, Priyanka Gandhi does not have to win an Assembly seat to be the chief minister. In fact, in the last 18 years none of the chief ministers of the state stood for Assembly elections.
Both Akhilesh Yadav and Yogi Adityanath became chief ministers first and were elected to the state's Legislative Council later.
However, this time, Yogi Adityanath who has been declared as the BJP’s CM face will be contesting from his bastion – Gorakhpur – in the elections that are slated for the next month.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will also be contesting the Assembly election from Karhal seat in Mainpuri district.
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