by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Special report
Gehlot wants Priyanka Gandhi in Rajya Sabha !
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Feb 13
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is understood to be keen that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra be brought to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.
With three Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant and biennial poll to be held next month, the Congress is set to win two seats. The buzz is that Gehlot wants Priyanka be brought to the Rajya Sabha arguing her popularity and charisma be utilized in states other than in UP where she is general secretary incharge of Eastern part.
Interestingly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is reported to have dumped her earlier plans to shift to Lucknow and hire a house on rent to focus completely in UP. She has started campaigning outside the state including Delhi and elsewhere.
Gehlot is reported to have met Priyanka recently and sounded her out in this regard. He wants Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to play more active role by entering Rajya Sabha. Rahul Gandhi is already holding the fort in Lok Sabha. But the Upper House requires a new face to take on the BJP there. The front benches leaders on the Opposition in Rajya Sabha comprise of mostly older leaders and the entry of a Gandhi will help galvanizing the party.
Since Sonia Gandhi has been unable to campaign due to health reasons, the party needs an additional face to take on the ruling BJP in Parliament and outside. If sources are to be believed, Gehlot had also talked it out with the other members of the Gandhi family too in this regard.
There are reports that Rahul Gandhi is likely to return as party president sooner than expected and would require to travel extensively. Therefore, Gehlot feels that the party would be significantly strengthened in Parliament too with Priyanka's entry.
Though there are many in the party who feel that she should come to the Lok Sabha as no member of the Gandhi family had ever taken a Rajya Sabha route.
But Gehlot loyalists pointed out that late Indira Gandhi entered the Rajya Sabha first and then went on become the tallest leader. Gehlot had been a minister in the Indira Gandhi ministry and a family loyalist.
Officially, no one in the party is willing to comment saying that its purely a decision of the “Family” and leaders are free to make suggestions.
Ends
