Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@PriyankaGandhi/Twitter)Putting all speculations about Congress general secretary Priyanka Vadra contesting election against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at rest, the party on Thursday (25 April) fielded Ajai Rai from the Varanasi seat, according to the reports.
Earlier too in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Rai had fought as the Congress candidate from the Varanasi parliamentary constituency but lost.
For long, there were speculations that Priyanka, who is the sister of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, could fight the election against PM Modi from Varanasi. Even, her husband Robert Vadra had said that Priyanka could give a “tough challenge” to PM Modi if she fights from Varanasi because “people see their happiness in her”.
Earlier, last month, Priyanka, during a meeting with party workers in Raebareli, in response to a query by a worker had replied, “ "Varanasi se lad lun (should I contest from Varanasi?)", giving rise to speculations that the Congress general secretary desires to take an electoral plunge and that too by challenging the Prime Minister himself.
However, after the decision to field Ajay Rai, it looks like the party seemed in no mood to take the risk, as a defeat against a strong candidate like PM Modi would have dealt a severe blow to Priyanka’s political aspirations.
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