Priyanka Gandhi Political Entry LIVE: Have Entrusted Her With a Mission, BJP Taken Aback, Says Rahul

Indian political strategist and Janata Dal leader Prashant Kishore, on Twitter, has hailed the announcement as one of the "most awaited entries in Indian politics." "While people may debate the timing, exact role and position, to me, the real news is that she finally decided to take the plunge! Congratulations and best wishes to Priyanka Gandhi," he writes. 

One of the most awaited entries in Indian politics is finally here! While people may debate the timing, exact role and position, to me, the real news is that she finally decided to take the plunge! Congratulations and best wishes to Priyanka Gandhi.

— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) January 23, 2019

However, Priyanka Gandhi's task will not be easy as she has been given charge of a region that has not been a Congress bastion off late. The party had won zero out of 30 seats up for grabs here in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, and only managed to place second in one seat - Gorakhpur. It would also pit her in a direct contest with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who, as the BJP's star campaigner, has led the Hindutva wrapped development agenda campaign of the party.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is currently in his home contituency of Amethi on a two-day vist. Adressing the media here, Rahul says, "whether its Priyanka or Jyotiraditya, through these youth leaders we want to change politics of UP. We are confident that Priyanka will bring out Congress' ideology." As the announcement comes only days after the historic alliance between the BSP and SP in UP, Rahul says the Congress is "open to talks with Mayawati and Akhilesh." "We have no enmity, infact I respect them a lot. We are ready to cooperate with them wherever possible. Ultimately the aim of all three of us is to defeat BJP, but yes our fight is to save Congress ideology," he adds.

Congress party, through its offical Twitter handle congratulates and formally welcomes Priyanka Gandhi into the party. "Many congratulations to Shri K C Venugopal, Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Shri @JM_Scindia on their new appointments. We're fired up & ready to go!"

Many congratulations to Shri K C Venugopal, Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Shri @JM_Scindia on their new appointments. We're fired up & ready to go! https://t.co/q7sMB8m6DO

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 23, 2019

Sambit Patra Calls Priyanka Gandhi's Entry into Politics a 'Failure' of Rahul | Seizing Priyanka's assent into politics as an opportunity to attack Rahul Gandhi, BJP 's Sambit Patra said the announcement means the Congress has formally declared him a “failure”. "I congratulate Congress for announcing that Rahul Gandhi is a failure.. they have done this by elevating Priyanka Gandhi," he says. "Congress is focussing only on one family and promoting dynasty is what Congress is all about. They consider family as the party while BJP considers party as the family," he adds.

At present, Congress has only two Lok Sabha seats of Amethi and Raebareli from Uttar Pradesh. The party had joined hands with the SP in the assembly elections in 2017, but that alliance lost to the BJP. Congress won only seven seats in the 403-member assembly.  In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had won 71 seats while its ally Apna Dal came out victorious in two seats. The NDA had vote share of around 42 per cent in 2014 polls

Congress Countering BSP-SP Alliance and BJP in UP | Congress leaders say Priyanka Gandhi's plunge into active party politics will galvanise the ranks to make them prepared for the massive dual challenge posed by the BJP and the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh. Bringing the 47-year-old on board the campaign shows that the Congress is serious in its promise of making the election in UP a triangular contest after the snub from Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav. Soon after the SP-BSP alliance was announced, Rahul Gandhi had said that he has a surprise in store, but few had predicted it be Priyanka's political plunge. 

Speculations Over Priyanka Gandhi's Lok Sabha Elections Debut | The political atomsphere is once again rife with speculations that Priyanka may contest the coming Lok Sabha election from either Amethi, which is her elder brother Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha seat, or Rae Bareli, the constituency of Priyanka’s mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. 

Robert Vadra in a Facebook post has congratulated his wife, Priyanka Gandhi, for her advent into politics."Always by your side in every phase of life," he writes. 

Robert Vadra in a Facebook post congratulates wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on being appointed as Congress General Secretary for Eastern Uttar Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/9gux2pXfk2

— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2019

Rahul Gandhi on His Way to Address a Rally in Amethi | The Congress has strategically made the announcement at a time when Rahul Gandhi is headed to Amethi, his home constituency on a two-day visit. Gandhi said he would meet and discuss issues with people during his stay there."I am coming to Amethi. Will be with my people and discuss issues with them. Will keep sharing the details of my story of happiness with you by way of pictures," Gandhi said in a Facebook post

"Honourable Congress president has appointed Shrimati Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as AICC General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East. She will be taking charge with effect on first week of February 2019,” the party said in an official release signed by Ashok Gehlot. The party also appointed senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia as AICC General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West and shifted Ghulam Nabi Azad to oversee poll preparations in Haryana to make way for the young guns.

The BJP was quick to seize the opportunity to attack Rahul Gandhi, saying the announcement means the Congress has formally declared him a “failure”.

Priyanka Gandhi Election-in-charge of Eastern UP | Rahul Gandhi has delivered on the surprise he promised ahead of Lok Sabha elections. The Congress chief has made his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra the election in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, finally heralding her into politics. The choice of east UP, which has not been kind to the Congress during elections, pits Priyanka directly against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who wields considerable influence in the region.