Priyanka Gandhi to restrict political role to Amethi, Rae Bareli: Congress

Gandhi is one of the star campaigners of Congress in the poll-bound UP

Clearing the air on the future role of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, especially when she has played an important part in sewing the alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress on Tuesday said she has, for the "time being", restricted her political role to Rae Bareli and Amethi of her "own volition".

"Priyankaji has always defined her own political role and of her own volition, has restricted it to the two (Lok Sabha) constituencies represented by her mother and brother, that is Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told PTI in an interview.

Surjewala was in Goa to campaign for the February 4 Assembly election.

"Many Congress workers have demanded that she (Priyanka) play an active role. We have always respected her privacy and decision. It is her call to take (on her role) as has been said by Rahulji (Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi)," he said.

Stating that Priyanka has to decide about her political role "on her own", the Congress leader said she has "confined herself to the two Parliamentary constituencies for the time being".

"Rahulji has said many times that he would be very happy if she (Priyanka) plays a more proactive role, but it is a decision that has to be taken by her," Surjewala said.

The speculation about Priyanka's active participation in politics, at a time when Rahul is leading from the front while Congress president Sonia Gandhi is becoming less active due to her health, became intense after she played a crucial role in salvaging the Congress-SP coalition talks for the high-stake Uttar Pradesh assembly election.

Priyanka was also said to be instrumental in bringing Navjot Singh Sidhu and some other leaders into the party's fold ahead of the elections to five state assemblies.

Her name figures among the 40 star campaigners her party has finalised for Uttar Pradesh.

However, neither Priyanka nor her mother Sonia has campaigned for the Congress candidates in Goa whereas, Rahul has so far, addressed two public meetings in the coastal state.