Priyanka Gandhi deserving, has potential to be RS member: Avinash Pande

Amid speculation about her possible entry in Rajya Sabha, senior Congress leader and in-charge for Rajasthan unit Avinash Pande has said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra deserves a nomination to the upper house as she is an undisputed leader of the party.

Pande said this is the feeling among Congressmen in every state but there has been no discussion in the party over it yet.

He said it is the prerogative of the Congress president on whom to name as party candidates for Rajya Sabha, election to which are slated in April after 51 vacancies are arising.

"Every Congress worker desires that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should be a Rajya Sabha member. She is an undisputed leader of the party and any state would want to recommend her name for nomination to the Upper House," Pande told PTI.

Asked if state units have discussed her name for the nomination, the AICC in-charge for Rajasthan said no discussion has taken place yet on her name.

"She has the potential to be a Rajya Sabha member and if asked we will certainly recommend her name. There is a general feeling among Congress leaders and workers that she should be recommended for a Rajya Sabha berth, but no discussion has taken place on the issue yet," he said.

There is widespread speculation over Priyanka Gandhi being among probable candidates considered by the Congress for a Rajya Sabha nomination.

The Congress has, however, remained silent on the issue and have dubbed it as speculative.

Asked about Priyanka Gandhi's name among probable candidates for Rajya Sabha berth, the party chief spokesperson said, "We do not answer speculative questions".

Priyanka Gandhi is the party's general secretary and is in-charge for the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

As many as 51 seats are falling vacant in Rajya Sabha in April and the Congress is likely to bag over nine seats in the upcoming elections in party-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.