Congress, others would do well to retain seats they won in 2017: Maurya

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said on Sunday that the Congress did not exist in UP politically and if it managed to retain its 7 seats in the coming state assembly elections, it would be some achievement.

LUCKNOW: Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya hit out at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi ‘Vadra’, describing her as ‘Twitter Vadra’ and claiming that despite her being active, Congress would do well to retain even the 7 seats that it won in the 2017 UP polls.

Maurya said not just Congress, it would be worth observing if Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party also managed to retain the seats they won last time. (Pic for representation)

“In fact, not just Congress, it would be worth observing if Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party also manage to win the seats they won last time,” Maurya said on Sunday.

In the 2017 UP polls, Samajwadi Party had won 47, BSP 19 and Congress had won 7 seats.

“The Congress doesn’t exist in UP politically. They have been neglected by the people. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, they won just two seats and shrunk further in 2019 LS polls to just one seat in UP. In 2017 assembly polls, they won 7 seats and holding on to that tally would be some achievement for them. SP and BSP too would do well to win as many seats as they did last time,” Maurya said.

Asked why he has been referring to Priyanka as ‘Twitter Vadra’, Maurya said: “All these parties are competing among themselves. One is active on Twitter. Congress seems to be ahead at the moment in getting photos clicked but that’s about all and since they have not made space for themselves in the hearts of the people, they won’t be able to make any impact.”