Cong to Fight UP Polls Under Priyanka Gandhi's 'Supervision', No Need for Pact With SP, BSP: State Party Chief

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Cong to Fight UP Polls Under Priyanka Gandhi's 'Supervision', No Need for Pact With SP, BSP: State Party Chief

New Delhi: Says after the Samajwadi Party and the BahujanSamaj Party ruled out forging any major alliances for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Congress' state unit chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Sunday expressed confidence that his party has the capacity to fight the elections without aligning with either of them and form the next government on its own. He also said the Congress would fight the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh next year under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "dekh-rekh (supervision)", and that under her leadership, the party would make a comeback in the state after over three decades.

In an interview with PTI, Lallu said the Congress has emerged as the main challenger to the "oppressive" UP government and claimed that his party with just five legislators has proven to be a more effective opposition than the Samajwadi Party (SP) which has 49 MLAs in the 403-member assembly. He said "winds of change" were blowing in the state and added, "Badlavkiaandhihai, jiskanaamPriyanka Gandhi hai (There is a storm of change and its name is Priyanka Gandhi)." The UP Congress chief asserted that the Congress organisation has been strengthened at various levels in the state under Priyanka Gandhi's leadership.

Asked if Priyanka Gandhi should be made the chief ministerial face by the party for the UP polls, Lallu said it is the party's national leadership that would decide on who should be the chief ministerial face. Pressed on whether Priyanka Gandhi would be the party's face in the run-up to the polls, Lallu said she is the state's in charge and the elections will be fought under her supervision.

"The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking at the Congress with hope. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the workers and under her (Priyanka Gandhi) leadership, the Congress government will be formed in UP," he said. His remarks come at a time when the party has shifted gears for the assembly elections with the state unit organising zone-wise training camps of block presidents, district presidents and other office-bearers to prepare workers for the polls.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is likely to visit several districts this month with an aim to enthuse the cadre and prepare the party for a pitched electoral battle with the ruling BJP. Whether the party would fight the polls on its own or in alliance with the SP or the BahujanSamaj Party (BSP), Lallu said the Congress will forge an alliance with issues of the people, farmers, poor, women and the oppressed. The Congress will go to the people with this alliance and is confident they will bless it, he added. Asked if Congress has the capacity to fight the polls on its own, Lallu said, "Yes, definitely it has the capacity to fight." His remarks assume significance as they come days after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party will not enter into any alliance with big parties, while BSP supremo Mayawati later asserted that her outfit will not enter into any alliance for the UP polls. On whether votes could get divided if the SP, the BSP and the Congress contest separately, Lallu said the people had given the opportunity to all the other political players in the state but they were not able to stay true to the faith shown by the people and now it was the Congress' turn. About SP and BSP leaders' statements on the polls, he said it reflected frustration and disappointment as people have rejected them and are standing with Congress.