The Congress on Sunday defended its decision to appoint General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as chairperson of the party’s Screening Committee for Assam, strongly rejecting the BJP’s allegation that the move reflects an internal leadership tussle between Priyanka Gandhi and her brother, Rahul Gandhi.
Party leaders accused the BJP of deliberately pushing a misleading ‘Rahul vs Priyanka’ narrative and said Priyanka Gandhi’s appointment was based on her organisational experience and continuity, not any power struggle.
The Congress pointed out that this is not the first time Priyanka Gandhi has been given such responsibility. She had earlier served as an ex officio member of the party’s Screening Committee during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, and has held several key organisational roles over the years.
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Senior Congress MP Tariq Anwar dismissed the BJP’s claims, saying Priyanka Gandhi’s role in Assam should be seen in the context of her past responsibilities.
“Earlier, she was the General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh when the Assembly elections were held there. So we cannot say this is the first time. This is the second time she has been given charge of a state related to elections. She will use her political experience and capability in Assam. There is a strong possibility of a Congress comeback in Assam,” Anwar told IANS.
He added that the BJP was intentionally distorting the issue.
“Priyanka Gandhi has been serving as General Secretary for the past five years. She has been given organisational responsibilities from time to time and has worked across the country. The notion being propagated by the BJP is incorrect,” he said.
The BJP, however, has claimed that the Congress is attempting to project Priyanka Gandhi as a new face of the party following repeated electoral defeats under Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. BJP leaders have alleged that rival camps backing Rahul and Priyanka have existed within the Congress for years.
Congress leader Udit Raj also rejected these allegations, asserting that the BJP had no right to comment on the party’s internal decisions.
“She is our leader and has been made the chairperson of the Assam screening committee. Her influence is quite wide. She will oversee elections and candidate selection. She has experience, and her experience will increase further,” Raj said.
Launching a sharp attack on the BJP, he referred to the recent appointment of Nitin Nabin as the BJP’s National Working President.
“It is the BJP’s habit to interfere in others’ affairs, create divisions and plant informers. There is no morality in this. This is our internal matter. The BJP should first look at who it is promoting after sidelining senior leaders. Congress does not function in this manner,” he added.
Within the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi’s elevation is being viewed as an effort to strengthen the party’s national leadership presence in Assam, a politically sensitive state with complex electoral dynamics.
While the Congress has traditionally projected Rahul Gandhi as its principal prime ministerial face, Priyanka Gandhi’s expanded role has coincided with broader discussions on leadership and strategy within the opposition.
Earlier, Congress MP Imran Masood had publicly pitched Priyanka Gandhi as a potential prime ministerial candidate, comparing her resolve and political instincts to those of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In recent weeks, Priyanka Gandhi, a first-time MP, has taken on a more visible role in Parliament, particularly during the Winter Session, in the absence of her brother. Her sharp attack on the government during the Vande Mataram debate drew widespread attention, while her leadership during opposition protests against the VB-G RAM G Bill further reinforced her prominence.
Holding a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, she led a march within the Parliament परिसर as opposition parties staged a walkout, emerging as a key face of the Congress’s resistance both inside and outside the Lok Sabha.
(With IANS inputs)
