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Newly-appointed Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will hit the campaign trail with brother and party President Rahul Gandhi in battleground Uttar Pradesh with a roadshow in Lucknow on February 11.
Both the Gandhis along with General Secretary for west Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia will lead the roadshow from Lucknow airport to the state Congress office where they will interact with the media.
Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia will then interact with state leaders and party workers on February 12, 13 and 14, to chalk the strategies for the Lok Sabha elections in the country's most populous state which sends 80 members to parliament.
The Congress, not a part of Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in UP, has decided to go it alone but also keep the door open for prospective allies. The party could win only two seats in the state in the 2014 general elections.
Priyanka Gandhi, on Thursday attended her maiden party meeting presided by Rahul Gandhi at the Congress headquarters here where all General Secretaries and in-charges of states, brainstormed over the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Talking to media after the meeting, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his allegation against prime Minster Narendra Modi over the "Rafale scam".
"The Prime Minister has helped steal Rs 30,000 crore from the defence forces. He has handed that money to Anil Ambani. He has done this personally," said the Congress chief, with Priyanka Gandhi by his side.
Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal, later interacting with the media, said the party will finalise the candidate list for the general elections by the end of the month.
"The party has decided to expedite the process of candidate sections and finalise alliances in the state wherever possible. All the General Secretaries and state in charges have been asked to finalise the candidates by February," he said.
He said that preference will be given to women, youth and minorities while selecting the candidates and there will be a fine blend of youth and experience in the final list of candidates.
He also said that Rahul Gandhi has asked for setting up a mechanism enabling the central leadership to monitor and supervise the electioneering and campaigning in the states.
