Lucknow:
In a renewed bid to reclaim its lost political ground in Uttar Pradesh, the Indian National Congress is preparing to bring Priyanka Gandhi Vadra back into an active and visible political role, party sources said. The move is being seen as a strategic reset as the Congress struggles to regain relevance in India’s most politically crucial state.
According to senior party leaders, Priyanka Gandhi is expected to take on a more hands-on role in organisational rebuilding, grassroots outreach, and election strategy in Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress has suffered repeated electoral setbacks over the past decade. Once a dominant force in the state, the party has been reduced to the margins, overshadowed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and regional players.
Priyanka Gandhi, who previously served as Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh, had led campaigns during the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2022 Assembly elections. While those efforts did not translate into significant electoral gains, party insiders say her connect with grassroots workers, women voters, and youth remains an asset the Congress cannot afford to ignore.
The renewed push reportedly includes district-level tours, cadre mobilisation programmes, and issue-based campaigns focusing on unemployment, farmers’ distress, rising prices, and social justice. The Congress leadership believes Priyanka Gandhi’s presence can help re-energise the party base and rebuild booth-level structures, which have weakened considerably.
Political observers note that Uttar Pradesh remains critical for the Congress’s long-term revival at the national level. With 80 Lok Sabha seats, the state plays a decisive role in shaping power in New Delhi. “Without a credible revival in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress’s national ambitions will remain constrained,” a senior political analyst said.
However, challenges remain steep. The party faces organisational erosion, leadership vacuum at the state level, and intense competition from both the BJP and opposition alliances. Whether Priyanka Gandhi’s return to active politics can reverse this decline will be closely watched in the coming months.
For the Congress, the decision signals a clear message: Uttar Pradesh is back at the centre of its political strategy, and Priyanka Gandhi is once again being positioned as a key face of that effort.
