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Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi
Congressmen feel that Priyanka Gandhi's surprise visit to Amethi will revitalise the party in Uttar Pradesh.
"I can describe it as a very positive development. Last time when she [Priyanka] was in Uttar Pradesh [campaigning during the February assembly election], we increased our tally of seats from 10 to 25. That was an increase of 150 per cent. She has the political savvy plus the charisma of the Nehru-Gandhi family," a party general secretary said.
On the sudden presence of Priyanka in Amethi, the Congress leader said, "It is her mother's constituency, she has worked in it even before."
Priyanka mesmerised the Congress supporters in Amethi and neighbouring constituencies where she exhorted the electorate to give a befitting reply to the party's rivals.
Outside the well-barricaded 10 Janpath, lathi-wielding cops conversed with young men and women who had come to have a glimpse of the Congress chief. Their leader, Madhav, said they had come to extend their support for Priyanka's continuing presence in Uttar Pradesh.
Janardhan Diwedhi, the Congress chief's Hindi speechwriter and Seva Dal head, however, declined to comment on Priyanka's presence in Amethi, pointing out that as underscored by Sonia, her children were free to make their own decisions.
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