Priyanka Gandhi in UP for second time this month, Congress likely to finalise 100 candidates during her visit ahead of Assembly polls

To strengthen the party in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is on a five-day visit to the state for the second time this month.

As per sources, the party might finalise 100 candidates by the end of Priyanka's ongoing visit to the state. During her last visit, Congress finalised 45 candidates. However, the party did not officially release a list of candidates.

Priyanka Gandhi reached Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport on Monday afternoon. She has been holding multiple meetings in Lucknow since then.

Today, held a meeting the core team of the party. Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, Co-in charge Dhiraj Gujjar, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Aradhana Misra, Congress senior leader Pramod Tiwari were have been present in the meetings.

Party sources said Priyanka has been working tirelessly to strengthen the party in the state. Nearly 2 lakh volunteers have been prepared on the booth as well as state level.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee has been training 2 lakh volunteers across the state. Nearly 250 camps have been set up and 40,000 volunteers have been trained so far.

The training of 2 lakh volunteers has been targeted to be completed by November. Congress has also put out four books. All of them have different titles that would assist the volunteers during their training. Besides, Congress also plans to carry out 'Pratigya Yatra' throughout the poll-bound state.

In the first phase, Congress is focusing on the seats which have candidates having the most chances of winning. This includes former MLAs, former MPs and members from winning organizations.

Congress has also asked for applications besides the sum of Rs 11,000 for the 2022 UP Assembly elections.

She has also been strategizing the party's 'Jai Bharat Maha Sampark Abhiyan'. The Congress General Secretary is also preparing the blueprint of upcoming events in the state.

A plan is also being framed for the proposed 'Pratigya Yatra'. Congress has accelerated the efforts to set up war rooms in 100 assembly seats. The assessment of the election preparations is also underway in the state. Meetings are being held with the leaders of the party. Priyanka has also been personally meeting various senior leaders and volunteers in Lucknow.

Sources close to the party said that Priyanka has kept her visit confidential which is why she has been conducting all meetings at her residence instead of the Congress Office in the city. It is also being speculated that she might visit Varanasi after completing her engagements in Lucknow.

Priyanka has been strategizing on various subjects like upcoming election campaigns, social media, rallies and street gatherings. Congress is also preparing to hold 'Rath Yatra' across the state.

If sources are to be believed, Priyanka might induct BJP leader Varun Gandhi into the party. Sources close to the party feel that Varun Gandhi joining the Congress is quite a possibility keeping in mind the way he has been writing anti-government letters to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

During her last visit to the state, Priyanka held several marathon meetings including that with the election committee, manifesto committee, all the departments and various frontal organizations of the party.

The Congress General Secretary held meetings for three days in a row. She had also paid a visit to Raebareli and Amethi.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in 2022.

In the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

( With inputs from ANI )