Cong favours Priyanka getting into active politics: Digvijaya

Hyderabad, May 18: Congress party favours Priyanka Gandhi Vadra getting into active politics but it has to be decided by the family, according to AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh, who said she has the potential to emerge as a mass leader.

Asked if Priyanka would play a significant role in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year, he said, "It's a family decision." "As far as we (Congress party) are concerned, we will be very happy if she comes into active politics," the two-time Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh told PTI in an interview here.

On whether Priyanka would campaign beyond the Nehru-Gandhi pocketborough of Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, Singh said: "The decision would be hers and the family's." Asked whether Priyanka has abilities of her grandmother Indira Gandhi, he said she has a "striking resemblance" with the former prime minister but he can't say "just now" whether she has the same abilities.

"She has the potential," Singh replied when asked if Priyanka can emerge as a mass leader. Asked if the "delay" in Rahul Gandhi taking over as Congress President is hurting the party's prospects, he said, "No. This is a decision to be taken by the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) and she will take a decision when the time comes."

Singh declined to discuss the exit poll results of the recent assembly polls, saying he does not trust them. "I don't trust these (exit) polls. It's (questions) too hypothetical," he responded.

To a query on whether JD(U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's efforts to prop up a broad non-BJP front to defeat BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha election would be a non-starter "given the past experiences", he said: "No. It's not that.

'Mahaghatbandan' has worked in Bihar (Assembly elections recently)". Asked if the Congress would be a party to such an initiative by Nitish Kumar, Singh said it's a policy decision to be taken by the Congress President and the Congress Working Committee.

On his assessment of Narendra Modi government's two-year tenure, he said: "Very high on publicity, very low on performance."

PTI