Priyanka Gandhi Withdraws Remarks On Being Congress' CM Face For UP, Says 'No Such Decision Is Taken'

Priyanka Gandhi said that she is not the only face of the party for UP polls and her remarks at a press conference on Friday about being the face of the party were made in a "slight exaggerated way"

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra | Getty Images

New Delhi: A day Priyanka Gandhi confirmed to the reporters during a press conference that she is the CM face for Congress in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Election 2022, she has withdrawn her statement. 

Striking a different note, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in an exclusive interview to ANI that she is not the only face of the party for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and her remarks at a press conference on Friday about being the face of the party were made in a "slight exaggerated way" in response to repeated queries from the media on the issue.

Vadra spoke to ANI and said that the party decides who will be the chief ministerial candidate and in some states, no such decision is taken.

Speaking in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi told ANI, "Main ye nahi keh rahi hun ki main he chehra hun. Vo to maine thoda bad ke kah diya kyunki baar, baar aap log yahi sawal kar rahe hain. (I am not saying that I am the only face, I said that in a slightly exaggerated way because you keep asking the question time and again)."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is in charge of the Congress party of the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh said "There are so many States and they have in-charges whether it is Congress or BJP. Do you ask them whether they are chief ministerial face or not? Why don't you ask them? Why is this question being put to me?"

Earlier on Friday she had made a clear indication at a press conference at AICC headquarters on Friday that she is the party's face in the Uttar Pradesh elections.

She said: "Aapko kisi aur ka chehra dikh raha hai Congress party ki taraf se? To phir? Ab dikh tho raha hai na sab jagah mera chehra." (Are you seeing any other face in Uttar Pradesh from Congress? Then? My face is visible everywhere.)

 

#WATCH Do you see anyone else's face from the Congress Party in Uttar Pradesh? You can see my face everywhere: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on being asked about the chief ministerial face of Congress in the upcoming UP Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/NOt1uZKBU6

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 21, 2022

She had also said at the press conference that no decision has been taken on her fighting the Uttar Pradesh polls. "When it is decided, you will get to know. We haven't made a decision on it yet," she had said during the press conference.

Asked if there was hesitation about declaring the party's chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, she said "where is the hesitation".

"Our party decides the face of the Chief Minister at some places, at some places we do not. This is the manner of our party, there is no hesitation".

Talking about the post-poll alliance, Vadra the party is open for a post-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh with any party except the BJP. However, she accused both the Samajwadi Party and BJP of practicing a similar kind of politics. 

Priyanka Gandhi said to ANI that the party will continue to fight for issues that matter and will be the principal party in Uttar Pradesh that stands up for the issues of people. "The door is closed for BJP but open for other parties. Samajwadi Party and BJP are practicing a similar style of politics because they are benefitting from that kind of politics. We are saying common people should benefit, issues of development should be raised. The parties who go ahead on the basis of communalism and casteism have only an agenda. They benefit each other," she said.

Asked if she sees a difference between the two parties, she said "not in a major way".