Priyanka won''t fight Modi, Congress fields Ajay Rai from Varanasi

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 25

After actively fuelling speculation of a Priyanka Gandhi Vadra versus Prime Minister Narendra Modi battle in Varanasi Lok Sabha segment, the Congress on Thursday ended the suspense on the matter naming former Uttar Pradesh MLA Ajay Rai its candidate from the VIP constituency.

Rai was Congress candidate from Varanasi in 2014 also and had lost badly.

Earlier this week, Congress president Rahul Gandhi allowed the speculation on his sister Priyanka fighting from Varanasi by saying, "I am neither confirming nor denying this."

The tables for Congress turned mid week after the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party fielded their own candidate from the segment, signalling their intent of no support for Priyanka Vadra as a joint opposition nominee.

Last month, Priyanka herself said when asked if she would contest from her great grandfather Jawahar Lal Nehru's segment Phulpur, "why not from Varanasi?"

To a question on whether she will fight from Varanasi, Priyanka said, 'The party has not decided on this yet. I will do what my party wants me to do."

After days of ground assessment in Varanasi and reported attempts to see if the rest of the opposition back her candidate, Congress finally drew curtains on the Modi-Priyanka face off.