Desperate Congress looks to helping hand from Priyanka

For the third time in a year, there is a strong buzz in the UP Congress that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will now camp in Lucknow and work for the party from ground zero. The reason behind the buzz is the fact that the bungalow owned by former union minister, late Sheila Kaul, which was said to be Priyanka's home in Lucknow last year, is now getting a fresh makeover. A bamboo barricade is being set up along the boundary wall to further obstruct the view into the building and minor repairs are being carried out. The Kauls, it is said, had offered their bungalow to Priyanka. Sheila Kaul, it may be recalled, was late Indira Gandhi's maternal aunt and her husband, late Prof Kailash Nath Kaul, lived in this bungalow on Gokhale Marg. Last year, when Priyanka vacated her government residence in Delhi in July, there were reports that she would shift to Lucknow. Then in February this year, the Congress claimed that Priyanka would shift to Lucknow to monitor poll preparations. However, due to Corona outbreak, the visit was postponed. Priyanka has not visited Lucknow since December 2019. Party sources said that Priyanka's daughter will be leaving for further studies abroad later this year and the Congress general secretary will then camp in Lucknow for some weeks.