Call for Priyanka Gandhi to contest polls grows louder

Lucknow, Apr 14: The voices within the Congress urging Priyanka Gandhi to contest the elections have grown louder. These demands come in the wake of several reports suggesting that Priyanka has been urged to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi.

The Congress feels that Priyanka entering the contest would boost the chances of the party. The party feels that the party would get a morale boost if she contests from eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress has shown interest in her candidature, but realises that in order to put up a strong fight, it would need the support of the other parties as well. The party is understood to have reached out to the BSP and SP in this regard. If reports are to be believed then, the Congress along with the BSP and SP could field Priyanka as a joint candidate from Varanasi.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had polled 5,81,122 votes. He won by a victory margin of 2 lakh votes. The Congress feels that it could reduce this margin greatly if a joint opposition candidate is fielded from Varanasi.