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2022 UP polls: Priyanka to address rally in Gorakhpur on Oct 31
There is a great enthusiasm among the people about the Gorakhpur rally, says UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu
After launching her party’s election campaign early this month in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Narendra Modi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to address a public rally at Gorakhpur on October 31.
As Gorakhpur, the seat of Gorakhnath Math, is considered chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s area of dominance, the rally is going to draw a major attention. Her rally will also be the Congress’ second major political event in Purvanchal region after the Varanasi rally held on October 10.
“Yes, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will address a rally in Gorakhpur on October 31. Senior Congress leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Kumar Lallu, are camping for the rally in Gorakhpur,” said a senior Congress leader aware of the efforts being made for mobilisation of people for the Gorakhpur rally.
“Yes, Congress will challenge chief minister Yogi Adityanath is his bastion. There is a great enthusiasm among the people about the rally. The Congress worked for the sugarcane growers in Purvanchal region by setting up sugar mills. It also set up canals to take water of the Gandak for irrigation and also worked for poverty alleviation in the region. The non-Congress governments have, however, pushed the area on path of backwardness and we will bring development in the region,” said UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu.
Priyanka, who addressed “Kisan Nyay” rally in Varanasi and launched her party’s three “Pratigya Yatras” in Barabanki this month, is expected to focus her campaign on the BJP government’s failures in her party’s bid to reach out to the people of Purvanchal region and present the Congress as an alternative in 2022 UP assembly elections.
The Congress also proposes to launch its fourth “Pratigya Yatra” from Gorakhpur after Diwali to take promises Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has made and will make to the people ahead of the 2022 UP polls.
Besides promising 40 percent Congress tickets to women, the party has also announced smartphones to 12th class pass girls, electric scooties to graduate girls, 50 percent cut on power bills, waiver of power dues of Covid-19 period, a financial assistance of ₹25,000 for the poor families hit by Covid-19 and up to ₹10 lakh free treatment in government hospitals for patients suffering from any ailment.
A promise of ₹2500 per quintal minimum support price for wheat and paddy and ₹400 per quintal state advised price for sugarcane has also been made to the farmers in addition to the promise of farm loan waver.
“We feel there is a lot of excitement about the Gorakhpur rally. It’s going to be a big success and issues like rising unemployment and inflation and those concerning farmers etc are going to come into focus at the rally,” said senior Congress leader and former union minister RPN Singh.
“This is election time and what the Congress is doing now should have been done much earlier. The Congress needs to change its electoral strategies and must explore options for an alliance with like-minded parties to make a mark in 2022 assembly elections,” said professor SK Dwivedi, former professor, political science, Lucknow University.
