Priyanka Gandhi looks for house in Lucknow

NEW DELHI: Congress’ UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi is unhappy over recent actions by some leaders going against the party line. She has asked the party officials to take strict action against such leaders. This came after Congress MLA from Rae Bareli Aditi Singh attended the special assembly session called by UP government on October 2. In the past, Aditi Singh had also spoken in support of withdrawal of Article 370 .
Sources in Congress tell ET that a show cause notice to Aditi Singh has been issued at the instance of Priyanka Gandhi. Congress workers also protested in front of Aditi’s house in Rare Bareli on Friday.

According to party sources, they were well aware of Aditi Singh’s getting closer to the BJP. That’s why while deciding for the faces in the new PCC team, her name was not considered. The party is yet to announced the new PCC. However when her father and former MLA Akhilesh Singh passed away in August, Priyanka Gandhi visited native house of Aditi Singh in Rae Bareli.

Post Lok Sabha elections, two Yadav leaders who had contested on Congress ticket left the party. Bhalchandra Yadav, who died last week had contested on Congress ticket from Sant Kabir Nagar. Yadav has moved to BSP post elections. Another leader Ramakant Yadav too has joined Congress during Lok Sabha elections and contested from Bhadohi. Last week after knowing that he would join SP, Congress expelled from the party. Yadav on Sunday joined SP in Lucknow.

Priyanka has now given instructions that party would focus on getting new people in politics rather than leaders from other parties joining the party. The message is for the ideological expansion of the party rather than anyone who joins the party for their vested interests.

She is also planning to devote more time in state and personally lead from the front before 2022 assembly elections. For that currently house hunting is going on in Lucknow for her. One of the possible houses is Indira Gandhi’s maternal aunt Sheila Kaul’s bungalow on Gokhale Marg in Lucknow.