Decision on Amethi, Raebareli seats soon: Avinash Pandey

Congress workers of Amethi and Raebareli are pleading that senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra must be asked to contest from the two seats

Congress workers of Amethi and Raebareli are pleading the party leadership with “folded hands” that senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra must be asked to contest from the two seats, said the party’s general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pandey. Mr. Pandey said the leadership already had serious discussions on the proposal and the next meeting of the Central Election Committee, headed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, will take a final decision on it.

Mr. Pandey was talking to The Hindu after a convention of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) workers in Shajahanpur recently. When asked about the candidates for the pocket boroughs of the Gandhi family and the demand that siblings must contest from the two seats, he said: “It is very much on the cards. Serious discussions have already been taken place [within the party]. In the next meeting of the Central Election Committee [CEC], a decision will be taken. There is a unanimous demand with folded hands by the Congress workers and people from Raebareli, Amethi and other parts of Uttar Pradesh that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi must contest. But CEC, ultimately, will take the decision. Whatever decision is taken by the CEC, it will be in the interest of the party,” Mr. Pandey said.

Expressing confidence that the alliance will emerge victorious in the politically crucial State, he said the issue of insecurity among the common people, and questions about the misuse of the constitutional offices for weakening the Opposition parties are the main issues being discussed by the people. “They are feeling threatened that the democracy of this country is going to be finished,” he said.

He said the Congress manifesto has become the real guarantee card. “Youth are welcoming it overwhelmingly. We are getting very good responses from the farmers, farm workers and other common people who are fed up with price rise. They understand that the five-point guarantee and 25 assurances have been made after taking responses from them,” he said and added that the BJP is trying to create differences among people and create communal polarisation. “But with the help of better understanding of our allies and the victimised people, we are taking on this politics of hate,” he said.

He said the Congress has compromised its interests for the larger interest of the alliance and decided to contest in 17 seats. “It is our responsibility to save the Constitution, save the democracy and save the people from a few people who are taking away all the hard-earned money of the people of this country. The overall atmosphere is very positive and people are looking for a change,” he said.