NEW DELHI: Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday described the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as Congress' general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East as a “good decision by Rahul Gandhi”.  Ending years of speculation, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra formally entered politics Wednesday with the Congress appointing her general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East in a move reflecting the party's intent to go full throttle in the state ahead of the general elections.

“Congratulations to Priyanka Gandhi Ji on her appointment as General Secretary. A good decision by CP Rahul Gandhi Ji. We wholeheartedly welcome her entry in active politics.”  Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav said in a tweet.

He further added, “Her appointment will not only energise youth & cadre but motivate 50% female population of India in politics.”


Priyanka, a mother of two and wife of Robert Vadra, has always confined her role in overseeing campaigning in Amethi and Raebareli, the constituencies of Rahul and mother Sonia Gandhi respectively.

The appointment is being seen as a masterstroke which will boost the morale of party workers in a state where Congress influence has been waning over the years and where the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have announced a tie-up.

Priyanka Gandhi, who turned 47 on January 12, will assist her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi in the Hindi heartland state, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the largest of any state in the country.