New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar has been appointed the chief of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.
Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad announced the decision to anoint Babbar to the post after an hour-long meeting with Priyanka Gandhi in the capital.
Babbar, a Rajya Sabha MP, has replaced Dr Nirmal Khatri. He had unsuccessfully contested against Gen. VK Singh (Retd.) of BJP from Ghaziabad in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Babbar entered politics by joining Janata Dal in 1989, which was led by VP Singh. He later joined Samajwadi Party and was elected as the MP for three times. From 1994 to 1999 he was a member of Rajya Sabha. He was re-elected in the 14th Lok Sabha elections for the second term in 2004.
He was suspended from Samajwadi Party in 2006. Later he joined Congress in 2008 and was elected for fourth term as MP in 2009, by defeating Dimple Yadav wife of UP CM Akhilesh Yadav.
Meanwhile, reports are doing the rounds that former Delhi CM and veteran leader Sheila Dikshit may assume an active role in the state. But at today’s press conference, Azad choose to remain silent on her role.
When asked about party’s chief minister face in Uttar Pradesh, where elections will take place early next year, Azad said that ‘any decision regarding the same will be conveyed only after party leadership decides whom to project’.
On Priyanka Gandhi’s role, Azad was said that there have been demands that she campaign for the party beyond Amethi and Rae Bareli where she limits herself.
"Everyone associated with Congress has a role and it will continue like that: Azad when asked if Priyanka Gandhi will actively campaign in poll-bound UP," Azad said.
According to reports, Priyanka may assume an active and bigger role for Congress and may be its top campaigner in UP.
Congress has so far remained tight-lipped on her role but several party leaders have batted for her assuming a bigger role and canvassing for the party all over the state.
Priyanka has earlier campaigned in Rae Bareli and Amethi parliamentary constituencies, represented by her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and brother and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, respectively.
Azad had held meetings with Sonia and Rahul in the past few days over the party's poll strategy in UP. He has favoured Priyanka becoming pro-active and campaigning throughout the state.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who has been roped in by Congress to help and assist the party in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly suggested Priyanka's name for leading the party in the state.
There has been divergence of opinion in Congress over Priyanka being made the top campaigner in Uttar Pradesh with a section insisting that she should canvass support for the party all over the country in the next Lok Sabha polls and should not focus on a state poll.
Congress is in political wilderness in UP for the past more than 26 years which saw emergence of 'Mandal' and 'Mandir' issues and the rise of BSP.
