What’s behind Congress projecting Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as RS nominee?

There has been a growing uproar within the Congress party to nominate senior party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh as three Rajya Sabha seats from the state are falling vacant in April this year. One of the seats is currently represented by Congress, while the other two are held by the BJP.

New Delhi: Four Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh on Monday urged the party leadership to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the state in the Rajya Sabha election.

Three Rajya Sabha seats from the state are falling vacant in April this year. One of the seats is currently represented by Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh, while the other two are held by the BJP.

In view of the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls, Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders, including former Union minister Arun Yadav and three current state ministers Sajjan Singh Verma, P C Sharma, and Jaivardhan Singh, urged the party to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the state.

However, according to party sources, this action has been initiated to prevent Priyanka Gandhi from vacating her current Lodhi Estate bungalow located in Delhi, as Central Government may soon issue a notice to vacate this abode she has been occupying since 1997.

The government withdrew Special Protection Group (SPG) cover to Priyanka Gandhi, her brother Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, last year.

Under the changed rules, only the SPG protectees would be entitled to government accommodation as private citizens. However, being Members of Parliament Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, will continue to be entitled to government accommodation.