Congress cutting into SP-BSP votes in Uttar Pradesh? Priyanka Gandhi responds

The Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) forged an alliance months before the Lok Sabha polls, but kept out the Congress as there was no agreement on seat-sharing.

Congress General Secretary and Uttar Pradesh - East incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Photo: PTI/ FILE IMAGE

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said her party will not cut into votes of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh but damage the BJP's chances in the state. The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh said her party has fielded candidates either with prospects of victory or having potential to damage BJP's prospects. "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'," PTI quoted Priyanka as saying in a media briefing during her campaign trail in Amethi where her brother Rahul Gandhi is seeking re-election. The Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) forged an alliance months before the Lok Sabha polls, but kept out the Congress as there was no agreement on seat-sharing. According to political observers, the anti-BJP vote could get split between the Congress and the UP alliance, benefitting BJP. The SP is contesting on 37 seats, the BSP on 38, and the RLD on three as part of a state-wide seat-sharing pact. However, the opposition alliance has decided not put up candidates on Amethi and Rae Bareli seats, traditionally held by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. "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." Asked whether Rahul Gandhi will become the prime minister, Priyanka said, "My brother will prove to be a good prime minister. Whether he will become the prime minister or not, the public has to decide." Priyanka said there was no leader like her brother Rahul Gandhi as he listens to people and tries to resolve their problems. "BJP is obsessed with Gandhi family. When we come here we do not talk about our family. We talk about problems of people, but they target our family in half of their speeches," said Priyanka. On the decision of her not being fielded from Varanasi, she said if she had contested from the temple town, she would have been confined to only one constituency. "I am not dejected that I am not contesting from Varanasi. I wanted to campaign and strengthen Congress in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Had I contested from Varanasi I would have got confined to Varanasi alone and would not have been able to work for strengthening the party," she said. "There is a lot of work to do in eastern Uttar Pradesh and we have to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and strengthen the Congress," she said. The Congress fielded Ajay Rai from Varanasi, ending weeks of speculations that the constituency may witness a blockbuster contest between Modi and Priyanka. "I am not fighting elections or campaigning for myself...I have a lot of work to do here and every Congress candidate wants me to campaign for them," she said. "I had said in the beginning that if the party wants me to contest (from Varanasi), then I am ready and would go by the party's decision," she added. (With inputs from PTI)