‘Good decision’: SP chief hails Priyanka’s political plunge

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday broke his silence on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into politics by welcoming the move and congratulating Congress president Rahul Gandhi for this decision. Akhilesh’s ally, BSP supremo Mayawati, is yet to react on Priyanka’s political plunge.

“Rajneeti mein jitne naye log aayen, hum samajwadiyon ko usse zyada khushi hogi. Main mubarakbaad aapke madhyam se dena chahta hoon ki Congress party aur unke rashtriya adhyakash ne ek achchha faisla liya hai (SP is happy to welcome new entrants into politics. I want to congratulate Congress and its national president for the good decision that they have taken),” Akhilesh said when asked to comment on Priyanka’s appointment as Congress general secretary in charge of eastern UP.

However, the SP chief skirted queries on the possibility of allying with Congress in the backdrop of Rahul’s statement that he respects both Akhilesh and Mayawati. Instead, he talked about what he called “hollow promises” by BJP regarding jobs and relief to farmers and vowed to take on the ruling regime.

While Mayawati has been critical of Congress and has even likened its policies with BJP’s, Akhilesh has avoided targeting Congress. He only made an exception in the campaign during the recent assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

In fact, sources in SP said Akhilesh enjoys cordial relations with both Rahul and Priyanka. A glimpse of Akhilesh’s bond with Priyanka was noticed in the run-up to 2017 UP elections when talks for an SP-Congress alliance hit a roadblock before it was announced, a senior SP leader said, adding, “It was only after Priyanka Gandhi spoke to the SP chief over phone that the issue was resolved.”