NEW DELHI: Fifty women candidates, including mother of Unnao rape victim, figure in the first list of 125 Congress candidates released by Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh election.
“As promised the list includes 50 women candidates,” said Priyanka Gandhi, who is also in-charge for Uttar Pradesh Congress while releasing the first list of candidates for 125 assembly seats.
The list includes Asha Singh, mother of Unnao rape victim, Alpana Nishad, Poonam Pandey, Sadaf Zafar, Ritu Singh, Party’s CLP Aradhana Mishra Mona, Nida Ahmed and several others.
The party has also named Raviraj Gond in the state, who is one of the tribal survivor in Sonebahdra massacre in 2019.
The Congress has been out of power in the state for last 32 years since 1989.
Priyanka Gandhi said that when she began revival of party in the politically vital state two and half years when there was no organisation.
“Our role has been to strenghten the party and then give a good go in the state,” she said.
To a question on a number of leaders leaving the party ahead of elections, she said, “When our party leaders leave our struggle, we feel bad. But we have to take the fight on and we will give a good fight.”
Women have been the focus of Congress’ UP campaign. And digital has played a big part in pushing the party intent forward. Sharing details on how it was made possible, Gandhi said: “It wasn’t difficult for digital campaigning. Most of the women are working in rural areas and many women had desire to fightback.”
Speaking on the plan ahead, she shared that they plan to keep the momentum on by doing more Facebook live and bring the same energy online. “We will also do Google hangout meets,” she added.
The Election Commission had last week announced poll schedule for the 403 member assembly in the state.
The polls will take place in seven phases from February 10 to March 7 and counting of votes will rake place on March 10.
Priyanka Gandhi asserted that party will contest on the issues of people. Setting some ground rules, she shared: “We will not do negative campaigning and only do positive campaigning. We wish to talk about progress, women issues, law and order issues, development so that state should move in forward direction.”
She also said that the party will highlight the issue of unemployment and women safety.
Taking credit for mobilising women in the state, she claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav started speaking about women issues only after she put focus on them.
“We have brought women at the centrestage of politics in Uttar Pradesh and this is something we wanted. We will focus on main issues,” she added.