Priyanka Gandhi's entry to politics: BJP says Rahul Gandhi has failed

New Delhi, Jan 23: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dubbed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entry to active politics as "expected" and said it shows that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has failed. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, in a scathing attack, said Priyanka's entry to politics shows that Congress is all about promoting the dynasty.

Priyanka Gandhi took up the first-ever official party assignment with her appointment as a Congress general secretary in-charge of east Uttar Pradesh. Senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has been elevated as general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (West). The Congress party made this announcement today.

The announcement comes months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and underlines the significance of Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 members to the 543-member Lok Sabha and holds the key to forming any government at the Centre.

"Expected, to promote dynasty is what Congress is all about. They consider family as the party while BJP considers party as the family. Congress has accepted that Rahul Gandhi Ji has failed," Patra told ANI when adked about Priyanka's entry to politics.

Echoing similar views, Union Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal told ANI, "It's a stamp by Congress and Rahul Gandhi on his utter failure, the fact that no 'gathbandhan' is wanting to shake hands with Congress in any state,they were becoming irrelevant, they had to play this Eastern UP card, to ensure Rahul and Sonia Ji's seats."

The official announcement on her entry to politics was made today, but Priyanka has been indirectly involved in party work in UP. Priyanka is known to have had a say in formalising election strategies and candidates' list of the Congress in previous elections.

During the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, she was her mother, Sonia Gandhi's, campaign manager and helped supervise her brother Rahul Gandhi's campaign.