ELECTIONS

Congress confused over Priyanka yatra

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
March 29, 2004 15:53 IST

There is confusion in the Congress over whether party president Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Vadra plans to go on a yatra like Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani.

The Congress office is flooded with inquiries from journalists in this regard.

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Tom Waddakan, media secretary, All India Congress Committee, is at his wits end telling the journalists that he has no information about any yatra.

"If I had information about it, I would have certainly shared it with you people," he said.

Akhilesh Dass, son of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Banarsi Dass, is leaking information that Vadra plans to undertake a yatra in the state, according to party leaders.

His office has been telling journalists that the yatra would begin from Hardwar and end in Rae Bareli.

At Akhilesh's 11, Lodhi Estate residence in New Delhi, there is an air-conditioned bus painted in saffron, white and green.

On it is written, 'Sonia Sankalp Yatra'.

Pictures of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are painted on the left side of the bus. On the right are pictures of Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai.

There are also pictures of the ex-CM and his son, and Congress leaders take objection to that.

"We know nothing about the yatra. I am not going to speak to Akhilesh Dass lest he asks me to get involved in the project. Why should I do something that does not have Sonia Gandhi's sanction?" said another party leader.

Akhilesh's office told rediff.com that he would be available on Tuesday and he alone would be able to shed light on the mystery surrounding the yatra.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi
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