Lucknow:  The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee is actively exploring the possibility of nominating senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Varanasi. This intention has been communicated by the newly appointed state party president, Ajay Rai, who also indicated that a formal proposal would soon be submitted to the higher leadership.

Ajay Rai, who himself has contested three Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi—losing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a Congress candidate in 2014 and 2019 and earlier as a Samajwadi Party candidate against BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi in 2009—expressed the party's aspiration for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Varanasi. While acknowledging that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could contest from any seat, he emphasized the party's preference for Varanasi.

Varanasi is currently represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who secured victory for the second consecutive term in 2019. The seat's historical allegiance to the BJP, however, hasn't deterred the Congress from considering a high-profile candidate to challenge Modi's dominance in the region. Rai explained that the intent behind pitting Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against Modi is to demonstrate a strong opposition against his leadership.

While Varanasi has predominantly been a BJP stronghold since 1991, the Congress managed to win the seat only once in 2004. Despite this historical trend, Rai expressed the party's determination to present a formidable candidate and reinvigorate the contest. The proposal to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra adds a layer of significance to Varanasi, situated in Purvanchal, as it has a broad influence across eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar.

Rai, who contested against Modi in the 2014 and 2019 elections, is now leading the state Congress and sees Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's potential candidacy as an assertion of a strong alternative to the BJP. While the formal decision rests with the central leadership, Rai emphasized that the Congress will strive to address challenges and galvanize support among the electorate. The party aims to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections under its leadership in Uttar Pradesh, similar to its approach at the national level.

The Congress, which has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for over three decades, faces the task of rejuvenating its presence in the state. The party's performance in the 2022 state assembly elections was notably below expectations, with only two seats secured. In the face of potential challenges rooted in caste equations, Rai highlighted the Congress's commitment to a politics of issues rather than caste or religion. He indicated that the party's focus will be on addressing concerns like unemployment, inflation, and corruption in the upcoming elections. As the Congress endeavors to rejuvenate its standing in Uttar Pradesh, the proposal to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra signifies the party's determination to present a formidable challenge in a crucial electoral landscape.

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