Cong wraps up UP civic election campaign without star campaigner

Congress has concluded its campaign for the ongoing Local Bodies elections without the presence of star campaigners, including the Party’s General Secretary, in-charge Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

This marks the first time that the party failed to get contestants in all seats and had to extend support to independent candidates. In Lucknow, the party had no candidates on over 20 per cent of seats.

In contrast, CM Yogi Adityanath along with his two deputies Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak along with other ministers addressed election meetings across the state. Even Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav and his MP wife Dimple Yadav addressed meetings and organised road shows.

“Probably, this being municipal elections, the Congress’ national leadership preferred to stay away from the campaign. In fact, Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi addressed a series of election rallies in Karnataka. The prestige of Congress is more at stake in Karnataka, where it will replace BJP, than in Mayoral elections,” said a senior Congress leader.

Interestingly, national Congress leaders like Pramod Tiwari, who belongs to Uttar Pradesh stayed away from

the campaign.

The party official spokesman claimed that Congress State President, Brijlal Khabri, all district presidents, and other senior state leaders carried out an extensive campaign with public meetings and road shows in favour of party candidates. Notable figures involved in the campaign included Brijlal Khabri, CLP leader Aradhna Mishra `Mona’, former MP PL Punia, former leader of Congress Legislature Party, Pradeep Mathur, and all district presidents. Even lawmakers like Virendra Singh, Ajai Rai, Naseemudin Siddiqui, Nakul Dubey, and Yogesh Dixit organised meetings.