Sonia Gandhi not among Congress' star campaigners for Rae Bareli poll phase

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who represents the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat, does not figure among the party's star campaigners for the fourth phase of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The fourth phase on February 23 will see assembly election in the five constituencies of Bachhrawan-SC, Harchandpur, Rae Bareli, Sareni and Unchahar, that come under the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Gandhi.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among the 30 star campaigners that the party has named for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Azad, the former leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, is a prominent leader of the 'Group of 23' who have sought organisational overhaul and have been critical of the party leadership.

The Congress on Sunday released its list of star campaigners for the fourth phase of assembly election in Uttar Pradesh on February 23.

Among the other star campaigners include Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who had rebelled against the Congress government in the state, is also among the star campaigners for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Party leaders from Uttar Pradesh Salman Khurshid, Pramod Tiwari, P L Punia, Rajiv Shukla, Ajay Kumar Lallu and Aradhna Misra 'Mona' have also been named as star campaigners by the party.

Besides, former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin, Maharashtra cabinet minister Varsha Gaekwad, Gujarat PCC working president Hardik Patel and Rajya Sabha MP Deepinder Singh Hooda are also in the list of party's star campaigners.

AICC minorities cell head Imran Pratapgarhi has also been named the star campaigner besides party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate among others.