Buzz in Congress on top post for Priyanka Gandhi

Bengaluru: The Congress Party is gearing up for one of its biggest organisational shakeups in recent times, with high-level sources signalling that the long-awaited induction of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the party’s general secretary is imminent.

“This has been talked about for some time, but due to various reasons, Priyanka has not expanded on her area of responsibility beyond the two constituencies that her mother and brother represent in Parliament. But that will change, as key states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat go to the polls,” sources close to these developments told this newspaper.

They said that the clamour within a section of the party to appoint vice-president Rahul Gandhi as president of the 131-year-old party, taking over a part of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s responsibilities, had also been heeded, and his elevation to the top post was also very much on the cards. Speculation is rife that both appointments may be made public on December 27, ahead of the anniversary of the party’s founding in Mumbai on December 28, 1885.

While the story in Congress circles is that Mrs Sonia Gandhi will still be active behind the scenes, and work in tandem with other political parties of similar mind against the ruling BJP, given her indifferent health, the siblings will however be front and centre from now on.

Mrs Sonia Gandhi, credited with holding the party together after many of the stalwarts exited over differences with then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, and who has led the party to victory in two successive polls, is expected to retain her position, as chairperson.

Insiders said Mrs Sonia Gandhi felt it was time to bring in her daughter, whose rapport with party workers in the two constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi in UP could be used to better effect.

The Congress Party has so far refused to confirm or deny these reports.