Archana Gautam targeted for being woman, to make her weak: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has come out in support of candidate Archana Gautam who was criticised for her bikini pictures that went viral soon after she was nominated. Gandhi alleged that such remarks are being made upon her to "make her look weak (candidate), just because she is a woman."

New Delhi: After a row erupted over Congress' decision of fielding actor-model Archana Gautam from Hastinapur constituency in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has come out in support of her alleging that such remarks are being made upon her to "make her look weak (candidate), just because she is a woman."

Priyanka Gandhi during her live interaction, on Tuesday, was asked why her party has given a ticket to Archana Gautam as BJP is attacking Congress over this matter, to which she replied, "She has struggled a lot in her life. No one asks Modi Ji about the kind of clothes he wears or who he wants to marry. Then why are such questions being asked to Archana Gautam? Only because she is a woman? This is wrong."

Vouching for the candidate, she further said, "If the woman is saying that she wants to serve the people, wants to raise real issues, why are you asking such questions to her? That's only because you want to make her look weak."

Soon after Congress released its first list of candidates for UP Assembly polls, a picture of Archana Gautam wearing a bikini had gotten viral on social media. The actor-model has won the title of Miss Bikini India. After Congress' decision to give her a ticket from Hastinapur constituency, BJP accused the grand old party of indulging in “cheap publicity”.

Priyanka Gandhi also spoke about giving a ticket to Asha Singh, who is the mother of a rape victim from the Unnao constituency, saying, "The opposition may think that our candidates are weak, but we have given them tickets so that those who are suffering and struggling can be strengthened."

Taking a jibe at the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress leader said, "The foundation stone is being laid before the elections, but they do not tell what happened in the last seven years. They ask what happened in 70 years, but they do not tell what they themselves did. Wherever we are standing today, was all built in the past 70 years."

Gandhi further asserted that the biggest challenge before Congress is to make the purpose of politics positive. "The politics of development is important, and it can only be established by ending the politics of division. We also have an economic challenge in the form of the employment of our youth. Health and education also need to be focused on," she said.