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UP elections: Priyanka says she is Congress’s face in state
“Can you see any other face from the Congress? It’s my face that’s visible everywhere,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at an event held to release the party’s manifesto for the youth of the state, when asked who would be the face of the party in the UP election.
Weeks before the Uttar Pradesh assembly election, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made it clear that she is the face of the party in this state poll but didn’t confirm if she would contest the election.
“Can you see any other face from the Congress? It’s my face that’s visible everywhere,” she said at an event held to release the party’s manifesto for the youth of the state, when asked who would be the face of the party in the UP election. But she didn’t confirm if she would be fighting the election and said, “If such as decision is taken, you will get to know.”
Gandhi Vadra’s announcement is significant as the Congress has not projected a CM candidate in any of the five election-bound states, inviting criticism from within the organization, and from rivals, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, the incumbent in all five states, which has named its CM candidates.
Analysts said that the Congress does not have a realistic chance in the election, but that Gandhi Vadra’s comment clearly showed her willingness to shoulder and accept responsibility.
The party’s manifesto for the youth released on Friday focused on employment in both government and private sectors, weeks after it announced promises for women including a 40% reservation in party poll tickets. The focus on women and young people is seen as an attempt to counter the issue of caste-and religious-identity in a state where the Congress has never seen power in the post-Mandal era.
She also announced that the party is open to be a part of a non-BJP coalition to keep the BJP out, if the situation arises, but the Congress’ poll promises would have to be at the core of such a coalition.
Speaking at the launch of the manifesto for the youth, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused the Union government and said, “Our understanding and belief is that India requires a new vision. If you want to propose a new vision you need to start in UP. It’s a step towards giving a vision to the country.” Pointing a finger at parties that have been in power in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said, “Young people have understood that in last 25 years they didn’t get anything.”
The Congress’ poll promises for the youth include filling 1.2 million government posts currently lying vacant and generating another 8 lakh private jobs along with promotion of local skills.
Gandhi Vadra added: “This is strategy, not empty words. The question is, how to give you employment. In UP, every 24 days, 880 people lose jobs. In the last five years, 16 lakh (1.6 million) youth lost jobs. Youth of UP needs a new vision and Congress is only party that can give this.”
She added: “We will remove the problems to generate employment. We will curb the scams in public job exams. The vacancies amount to 1.5 lakh posts in primary schools; 8000 teachers’ posts are vacant in higher education; 6000 doctors’ posts; and 100,000 police posts will be filled.”
The Congress has also promised to appoint 20,000 anganwadi officials and 27,000 anganwadi helpers , 32,000 teachers for physical education, and 4000 Urdu teachers.
Gandhi Vadra added that the current state government’s plan of “one district, one product” would be revised and the Congress would promote a cluster approach to support local industries. Fees for job exams would be waived and a single-window scholarship portal would be launched, she said. .
Among other promises in the manifesto are: opportunities for children of sanitation workers; a ₹5 lakh loan to businesspeople from the most backward classes; a de-addiction centre with headquarters in Lucknow; a youth festival annually to showcase local talent; and world-class cricket academies for cricket and other sports.
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