Priyanka, Scindia given target to form Cong govt in UP: Rahul

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said he has given his sister Priyanka Gandhi, newly entrusted with eastern Uttar Pradesh, the target of ensuring that the party forms the next government in the state.

The Congress will also fight the coming Lok Sabha polls with full strength, he said at a public meeting in his constituency.

His two-day visit to Amethi had coincided Wednesday with the formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi in politics, after years of speculation on whether she would take the plunge.

She has been appointed general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, while Jyotiraditya Scindia holds charge of UP West.

"Priyanka and Scindia have been given a target. That is to form a Congress government in Uttar Pradesh in the next election by defeating and wiping out the BJP, the Congress president said.

Unlike PM Modi, I do not talk of a 'BJP-mukt Bharat' but speak with respect," Gandhi said, referring to Narendra Modi's call to free India of the Congress.

Whether it is Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, everywhere the Congress will fight with full might on the front foot, and you will see that after the Vidhan Sabha elections there will be a Congress government in the state, he said.

In the Lok Sabha polls, we will contest with full strength, without taking a backward step," he said, referring to the election just months away.

He criticised the Centre government over the Rafale aircraft deal and accused the prime minister of waiving industrialists' loans, charges countered earlier by the government.

The watchman proved to be a thief," he said, and repeated the slogan, "Gali gali mein shor hai, chowkidar chor hai."