Congress general secretaries for Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Wednesday announced an alliance with regional outfit Mahan Dal for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Vadra told reporters that the Congress will work hard and fight “with our full might” in the elections, reported NDTV. “We will follow the type of politics where everyone is involved and equally represented,” she said, according to Times Now.
Scindia welcomed Mahan Dal chief Keshav Dev Maurya to the Congress. “Whatever is the vision of Rahul, Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi, to support it, Mahan Dal will work with us in this battle,” Scindia said.
“Today Keshav Maurya ji has joined the Congress to support the party in its pursuits... We welcome him to the party and hope he would support us,” Scindia added.
The Mahan Dal, a little known local political outfit, had allied with the Congress ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections too. It had contested from three Lok sabha constituencies, but did not win any seat. However, the party had contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections separately.
The Mahan Dal claims support from the Other Backward Classes voters from western Uttar Pradesh, according to PTI.
“The Congress has always thought about the welfare of Dalits and backward castes,” Maurya told reporters. “It is the only party which thinks of taking everyone along with itself. At present, there is an atmosphere of anarchy in the entire state. The alliance between Congress and Mahan Dal will last long.”
Vadra and Scindia took charge of the state earlier this week with a massive roadshow in Lucknow.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has given his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, charge of 41 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, while Scindia will be in charge of the remaining 39 parliamentary segments.
Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia were appointed to the posts last month. On February 8, Rahul Gandhi told them “not to expect miracles in two months” and to not “feel any pressure”. He asked them to focus on the 2022 Assembly elections.
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