Cong will not cut into UP gathbandhan's vote, will damage BJP: Priyanka

The Congress is not at all cutting into votes of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh as the party has fielded candidates either with prospects of victory or having potential to damage BJP's chances in the state, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Wednesday.

Asked whether she was afraid of contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Priyanka said she was not scared at all and that she joined politics "for good".

"If Priyanka Gandhi gets scared, she will sit at home and not do politics. I am in politics for good and will be there," she said.

The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh also hit out at the BJP for what she called its "obsession" with the Gandhi family when the focus should be on solving people's problems.

On the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka said, "We have carefully chosen candidates so that either Congress wins or they cut into BJP's votes. Congress is not at all cutting into votes of the 'UP gathbandhan'."
"This is not a preparation for (assembly polls) in UP in 2022. This is about defeating BJP in 2019," she said, adding, "Congress party is weak in UP we need to strengthen it here. I am working towards it."