Why is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra relinquishing her role in Uttar Pradesh?

New Delhi: Upbeat over its recent victory in the Karnataka Assembly polls, the Congress has decided to focus on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Encouraged by the victory in Karnataka, the Congress is preparing for major changes in Uttar Pradesh. 

The party's national general secretary in-charge of UP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is likely to relinquish the responsibility soon.

A new national general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh may be appointed soon and the names of former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat and senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar are being discussed for the crucial position, sources said. Decision on the issue is expected to be taken after the arrival of former party chief Rahul Gandhi from abroad, sources added.

It is understood that due to her busy schedule for campaigning and strategy meetings for the forthcoming Assembly polls in crucial states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has decided to relinquish the responsibility of being Uttar Pradesh in-charge.

It is believed that Priyanka wants to concentrate more on the national political plan of the party and not confine herself to one state. By appointing a new in-charge for the state, the grand old party hopes to work on a new strategy ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Priyanka held around 20 rallies and roadshows in Karnataka while missing the UP civic polls completely. She has been an infrequent visitor to battleground UP, indicating the party’s inclination of utilising her services on a wider scale across the nation, sources stated.  

Moreover, with the grand old party having incumbent governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh the central leadership doesn’t want any let up and wants to win these states back. 

The grand old party also hopes to return to power in Madhya Pradesh. Hence the need for Priyanka to be brought back to the national political scene ahead of the crucial Assembly polls this year and general elections next year. 

Priyanka is expected to campaign widely for the party candidates in the forthcoming state polls which are expected to have a major impact on the nation’s political scenario next year. The Assembly elections in these crucial states later this year are also being treated by most political parties as a semifinal to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.      

With 80 Lok Sabha seats, Uttar Pradesh has been the biggest contributor to the BJP’s electoral cause. The state electorate has wholeheartedly consecutively backed the duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the last four important polls in the state, two Lok Sabha and two state Assembly polls.  

And accepting the importance of Uttar Pradesh in national politics, the Congress is desperate to break the jinx of continuously losing in the state and dislodge the saffron stranglehold on the state.

The Congress also felt that a seasoned and grounded politician like Rawat or Anwar could devote more of their time in the crucial state, while Priyanka can concentrate on the national outlook of the party.

While Rawat can make a dent in the vote bank of the Pahari and Rajput communities in Uttar Pradesh, Anwar may prove to be a good bet to grab the votes of the minority Muslim community in the state, sources said.

The posting of a new in-charge in Uttar Pradesh will be important before the Lok Sabha elections, as he will finalise the party's strategy on candidates. The new in-charge will also be undertaking any talks with possible alliance partners, in consultation with the central leadership, ahead of the crucial 2024 general elections.