Sonia ji continues to be the most valuable political asset for us, but she has gradually withdrawn herself: A senior party aide
With the campaigning for the assembly elections entering into a feverish pitch, Congress has not lined up any programme for its president Sonia Gandhi, indicating that she may not hit the road this time, leaving it to her children — Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Her office insists that it has nothing to do with her health and that she was part and parcel of sewing up the alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP) in the crucial Uttar Pradesh (UP) elections. Ironically, it was the SP led by Mulayam Singh Yadav that blocked Mrs Gandhi’s way to become the Prime Minister in 1999.
Even while continuing heading the party, she has largely withdrawn from the organisational activities. Much to the chagrin of the senior leaders drawing up a list of the star campaigners required to be submitted to the Election Commission under Section 77(1) of the Representation of People Act, she told them to exclude her. A party leader said, they are still persuading her to address at least one rally in UP, believing she was still a vote catcher. A senior leader on the condition of anonymity said that she had made it clear to them at least two years ago, that she would not be able for organisational work after she turns 70. She turned 70 on December 9, 2016.
“Sonia ji continues to be the most valuable political asset for us, but she has gradually withdrawn herself. The Jan Vedna Sammelan which was held on January 11 was almost like an AICC session and yet she did not attend. She now rarely meets people and direct us to speak to Rahul ji. It is not because of her health. She is fine now. But she has been telling us that there should be a limit when one calls it quit,” says a senior party aide who has been with her for years. He points out that Sonia has been telling the party leaders for the past two years that the younger leaders should be encouraged to mobilise the party and the veterans should be around only in an advisory role.
This is also the first election where her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra agreed to campaign outside Gandhi bastion of Rai Bareilly, Amethi and Sultanpur. She was actively involved in tricky negotiations in deciding an alliance with the SP leaders. Reportedly, she missed a family vacation to hold discussions with both Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple. But senior leaders confirm that a final push came from Sonia Gandhi herself to salvage the alliance.
A senior Congress leader involved with the negotiations on Sunday denied there was any breakdown of negotiations between the two parties. In fact, Priyanka Gandhi spoke to Akhilesh Yadav at 11:30pm and also to his wife Dimple Yadav. Over past few weeks, party sources said she had been working behind the scenes with an erstwhile aide of Rahul Gandhi, Kanishka Singh assisting her. Both parties are now planning a joint campaign for Priyanka Gandhi and Dimple Yadav to unleash women power combined with charisma, glamour and glitz to take on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati.
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