Priyanka accompanies Vadra to ED office, makes a political statement

Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday made a strong political statement of openly backing her controversial husband Robert Vadra by dropping him at the Enforcement Directorate office when he came to face questioning in connection with a money laundering case filed against him.

"I stand by my family," she later told reporters at the AICC headquarters where Congress workers shouted slogans hailing her. "Priyanka you fight on, we are with you!"

Priyanka Gandhi, who was appointed the Congress General Secretary (East) a fortnight ago and is the target of the BJP for "dynasty" politics in Congress, made her first public appearance on Wednesday when she accompanied her husband in a SUV.

Both hugged each other and planted a kiss on each other's cheek before Vadra came out of the car outside the ED office in Jamnagar House at the mouth of the India Gate circle.

From there, she drove straight to No. 10, Janpath residence of her mother Sonia Gandhi and then walked over to neighbouring AICC headquarters Mediapersons surrounded her and piled questions but she walked straight into the room allotted to her in the Congress headquarters. She formally took charge and later met party workers.

Vadra's aide Jagdish Sharma alleged outside the ED office that the BJP government was carrying out a political vendetta against the son in law of the Gandhi family.

The BJP has been attacking Vadra, Priyanka, the fifth generation member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, and the Congress over the cases allegedly involving him. The BJP is expected to step up the attack on the "dynasty" politics of the Congress as campaign picks up in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

--IANS

aks/vsc/mr