Priyanka to start battle on BJP with Kumbh dip
New Delhi: Despite charges of pursuing "soft Hindutva" hurled at the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi is likely to begin her formal political career with a holy dip at the Sangam at the Kumbh Mela on February 4. Priyanka Gandhi, who will take charge as the General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East that day, will be accompanied to the Kumbh by Rahul Gandhi, whose public zeal for Hinduism began with an April 2015 visit to the iconic Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand. Also on February 4, Priyanka Gandhi will hold a press conference along with Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow. According to informed sources, the Gandhis have zeroed in on February 4 for the holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya and the second Shahi Snan.
But if they don't get a chance to take a holy dip on February 4, they will opt for February 10 on the occasion of Basant Panchami and the 3rd Shahi Snan. This is probably the first time the two Gandhis will take a dip at the Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet the mythical Saraswati.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan on Saturday slammed BJP leader Vinod Narain Jha's comments on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and said his "cheap" mentality was coming to the fore as the party was set to lose Lok Sabha polls. Jha on Friday said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has no other quality except being "very beautiful" and the Congress should remember that beauty does not garner votes.
The former Maharashtra minister also said the BJP is "nervous" over Priyanka's formal entry in politics and that she will help bring the Congress back to power in 2019. "BJP leaders are resorting to using cheap language against the Gandhi family and Priyanka ji as they know that promises made by them are unfulfilled and the Narendra Modi government's policy decisions have immensely hurt the economy and the common man."
He added that, for many years, Congress workers and office bearers were demanding that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra enter active politics. "She is a good orator and her personality will boost the image of Congress and bring it to power in 2019 elections.
Due to her appointment, the morale of Congress party workers and office bearers is very high. This is evident from the nervousness of the BJP," he said.