Election Live Blog: Choose govt for yourself, India is yours, says Priyanka Gandhi in Prayagraj

To begin a "sacha samvad (genuine conversation)" with the people of Uttar Pradesh, Congress Party's star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi today embarked on a 140-km long Ganga Yatra from Allahabad to Varanasi. Priyanka wrote an open letter on Sunday, where she promised people "transformation" and assured them of solving their problems. Here's our election live blog that will bring you all the latest updates from Priyanka's Ganga Yatra and much more.

Latest Updates from Priyanka Gandhi's Ganga Yatra: 

5:56 pm: Prayagraj: Congress General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacted with the students from Allahabad University aboard a steamer boat, earlier today. She is on a 3-day long 'Ganga-yatra' from Chhatnag in Prayagraj to Assi Ghat in Varanasi.

 

3:55 pm: Choose a government for yourself, the nation is yours": Priyanka Gandhi in Prayagraj 

3:52 pm: Nation doesn't belong to one person that you have to beg to, for your rights. You were promised 2 crore jobs, what happened, says Priyanka Gandhi in Prayagraj 

3:50 pm: Youth have no jobs. Women feel unsafe. Low wages for aanganwaadis. People are upset all around: Priyanka Gandhi in Prayagraj 

02:10 pm: In a reply to SP and BSP's jibe over no alliance with Congress in UP, Priyanka Gandhi said that their common enemy is Narendra Modi and BJP and that they should remain focussed to defeat it. Earlier in the day BSP supremoe Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had clarified that Congress was not part of their gathbandhan and should 'stop spreading confusion about it'

Also read | There will be no alliance with Congress: Mayawati

01:27 pm: 

Priyanka Gandhi interacting with children during first leg of her boat ride. 

11:47 am: Priyanka Gandhi expressed faith that her Ganga Yatra will help Congress. In reply to India TV's question during the boat ride, Priyanka said 'Ganga Maiya Udaar hai', and she is sure that Congress will be blessed by River Ganga. 

11:40 am: Mayawati says Congress free to contest on all 80 seats. 

BSP chief Mayawati on Monday said that Congress party is absolutely free to contest Lok Sabha Elections on all 80 seats independently in UP. Our alliance formed here (with SP) is strong enough to defeat BJP. Congress must not spread the wrong impression by leaving 7 seats vacant in UP for SP, BSP & RLD, she said. 

11:00 am: Priyanka Gandhi begins Ganga Yatra with a visit to Bade Hanuman Temple.

Prayagraj: Congress General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offers prayers at Bade Hanuman temple 

10:30 pm: 

09:00 am: Can Priyanka garner votes for Congress by boat yatra? 

 

08:25 am: Last minute preparations are underway at Prayagraj for the Ganga Yatra. 

08:00 am: Priyanka Gandhi to start her Ganga Yatra soon 

Also read | Priyanka Gandhi's Lucknow visit cheers Congress workers

07:50 am: Priyanka's journey will commence from Prayagraj today and conclude at Varanasi's Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh ghat on Wednesday evening. uring the three-day programme, Priyanka Gandhi will cover a distance of over 140 km through four districts of the state -- Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi -- by steamer as well as car.

07:40 am: On Day 1: She will take the steamer ride from Chhatnag in Prayagraj on March 18 and en route meet elderly citizens of Dumduma in Prayagraj and the family members of Mahesh Raj Yadav, who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14 in a suicide bombing. Priyanka Gandhi will be back to her steamer ride from Rampur ghat in Bhadohi. From there, she will also visit Vindhyachal temple in Mirzapur and meet the carpet weavers before a night halt there.

07:30 am: On Day 2: Priyanka Gandhi will commence her journey on Tuesday from Vindhyachal and visit the Dargah of Maulana Ismail Chisti in Bhadohi's Kantit area and interact with people there. The Congress leader will then again be back to steamer ride from Mirzapur. She will interact with advocates at Kachahri Ghat in the district and then visit Bhatauli village and meet people there. Thereafter, the newly-appointed General Secretary will reach Chandrika Devi temple and interact with people after offering her prayers there. After leaving Chandrika Devi temple, Priyanka will reach Devri in Mirzapur and interact with local villagers there before arriving at Chunar for the night halt.

07:20 pm: On Day 3: In the last leg of her three-day journey on Wednesday, she will visit via road Varanasi's Sheetla Mandir and meet women groups there. From Sheetla temple, Priyanka will again take the steamer ride till Ramnagar and interact with the fishermen community there. She will also visit the house of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in Varanasi's Ramnagar before arriving at Assi Ghat by the steamer. There she will interact with the local people, people from Jain communities and offer prayers at Vishwanath temple. After performing rituals at the Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, she will again take the steamer ride to Dashashwamedh ghat. After that, she will leave for the Congress office in Varanasi and interact with party workers during a Holi Milan programme. She will then leave for Delhi on Wednesday evening from Varanasi airport.

07:10 am: What is at stake for Congress: The Congress is contesting the Lok Sabha polls alone in Uttar Pradesh which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal are contesting in alliance. In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Apna Dal had won 73 seats while the Congress had managed to win only two. The Samajwadi Party had won five seats and the BSP had drawn a blank in the state. Congress hopes to cash Priyanka Gandhi's popularity to make its mark on the state know as gateway to Parliament. 

07:00 am: The Congress has to date announced 26 candidates for Uttar Pradesh. However, the party has not announced Priyanka's candidature. Her brother is contesting from Amethi, while her mother will contest from Rae Bareli seat.