Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was recently appointed party incharge of Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday said that he hoped party chief Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would campaign outside family bastions Amethi and Rae Bareli for the assembly polls next year.Interacting with media persons ahead of his two-day visit to the state from Thursday to work out the party's action plan for the 2017 assembly elections, Azad, asked if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to be projected as a chief ministerial face of the Congress, said: "Priyanka ji is already playing a key role in Rae Bareli and Amethi. "I hope she will definitely campaign in some other places as per time available to her. There have been such demands from our cadres in the state but the party will take a decision at the right time." He said Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was taking key decisions regarding Uttar Pradesh after consulting all seniors party leaders. Azad said he will meet office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, and chiefs of its frontal organisations such as the Mahila Congress and the Youth Congress.
He will also meet All India Congress Committee members from the state, sitting and former MPs, legislators, district Congress chiefs, spokespersons and other prominent leaders at the Gandhi auditorium in Lucknow on Thursday. "I will meet them collectively and in sessions to hear their views, take inputs to evolve an action plan for the assembly elections," Azad said. "Our first preference is to strengthen the party structure in the state so that we can win maximum number of assembly seats," he said. The former union minister also hinted at a reshuffle in the party's state unit. Azad said he will have one-to-one session with party leaders on Friday to know their opinion on "what direction the party should take for its campaign". Azad, who is also Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said the Bharatiya Janata Party is running a thoroughly divisive campaign in the run-up to the assembly elections. "The British were (earlier) dividing us in the name of Hindu and Muslim; and now the BJP is doing it," Azad remarked while referring to alleged migration from the state's Kairana town finding a mention at the BJP's national executive meeting.Kamal Nath relieved of Punjab charge at his request
New Delhi
Days after being appointed general secretary in charge of poll-bound Punjab, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Wednesday was relieved of the charge at his own request, party sources said.Kamal Nath on Wednesday wrote to party President Sonia Gandhi requesting her to relieve him of the assignment.In his two-page letter, he said that he had been hurt over the developments of the past few days during which "an unnecessary controversy has been created around the tragic 1984 riots in New Delhi".Noting the Nanavati Commission set up by the NDA government had fully absolved him of any charges after proper investigation, he said that "certain elements" were raking these issues only for "political gains" and the maligning of the Congress using "false accusations" was unacceptable to him."I may be relieved of my charge to ensure that the attention is not diverted from real issues facing Punjab," he said.
He also wished that party should focus on the upcoming assembly election and highlight the issues of misgovernance, misery of farmers and youth, breakdown of law and order and rampant drug trade in the state.Gandhi accepted his resignation, said party sources.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had termed the June 12 appointment of Kamal Nath as the general secretary incharge of Punjab a "shameful" move."This is very shameful move by the Congress. He (Kamal Nath) is one of the accused of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and Congress has rewarded him for following the orders of Rajiv Gandhi," AAP leader H.S. Phoolka had said, alleging a mob led by Kamal Nath was behind the violence at Gurudwara Rakabganj in New Delhi.According to sources, even some leaders in the state Congress unit were not happy with the decision to appoint him.Kamal Nath, a former union minister, was also given charge of Haryana.