ISLAMABAD: The slain former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s grand-daughter and daughter of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi has indicated that she will contest Lok Sabha election from Varanasi seat against incumbent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She is major opposition Congress Party’s general secretary.Modi is the sitting MP from the eastern UP seat. He had won from the seat in 2014. According to media reports, sources said on Saturday that Priyanka is ready to take on the fight with sitting Prime Minister India after serious considerations, from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. She has already agreed to contest the poll. However, the final call rests with Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who is brother of Priyanka.Interestingly, earlier in March when Priyanka was urged by her party supporters to contest from Rae Bareilly or Amethi, she apparently responded in a lighter vein 'why not Varanasi!’ Priyanka was interacting with Congress workers when they requested her to contest from Varanasi. They said that if she contests from Rae Bareilly or Amethi, the BJP will be finished. Immediately, Priyanka quipped jokingly, "why not Varanasi", sources added.The Congress general secretary had said that she would contest the Lok Sabha election if the party wanted her to do so. Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases, from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. In last elections in Varanasi, Modi won 581,022 votes defeating AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who won 209,238 votes. Modi won with the margin of 371,784 votes.In March, Priyanka was on a three-day long `Ganga Yatra` from Prayagraj to Varanasi. Her tour focused on 'Sachi Baat Priyanka ke Saath` in which she talked to people during her 140 kilometres long travel on a steamer boat to Assi Ghat in Varanasi. Priyanka had earlier criticised Modi for not visiting a single village of his Varanasi constituency. "Wherever I am going, I am getting to see the truth and reality of this government. I went to Modi`s Varanasi constituency and asked people whether he comes to the constituency, people said yes he does. Then I asked whether he goes to villages? They said no, he does not go to the villages. So, I asked what does he do during his visits. They said whenever he comes, he holds big meetings, gives speeches and then leaves. Then I asked whether he goes to any village and find out about people`s welfare? They replied no, he does not go to the villages. So, this is one reality," she had said.Priyanka has called the Lok Sabha election a "new freedom struggle". Schedule caste Dalit group Bhim Army Chandrashekar announced that he will contest against PM Modi from Varanasi.
from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2UgJUCb
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