Congress plans Priyanka's boat ride to Varanasi

In a unique initiative to connect with voters for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will travel from Prayagraj to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi from March 18 to 20.

According to Congress leaders, Priyanka will take a boat ride from Prayagraj on March 18 to reach Varanasi on March 20.

In fact, the party's state unit has approached the election commission to seek a permission for Priyanka's boat ride.

The party assured the poll panel that it will comply with the model code of conduct.

Priyanka will address people at several places during her three-day journey, they said on Thursday.

Since her appointment as the Congress General Secretary and in-charge for Uttar Pradesh (East) on January 23, the party workers have been pressing her to contest from Varanasi.

However, the Congress which released its two lists for 27 of 80 seats, has not announced her as a candidate for the 2019 elections yet.

According to party leaders, the Congress, through the boat ride, wants to highlight Modi's failure in cleaning the river Ganga in the last five years, and the pain of people residing along the river bank.

Priyanka is seen as a turn-around leader for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, where the party has been out of power for the last 29 years.

Through the boat ride campaign, the party wants to revive itself in eastern Uttar Pradesh which earlier remained its stronghold.

In 2014 elections, the Congress had won only two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli, represented by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, respectively, while the BJP had won 71 seats.

--IANS

aks/vin/