Congress hits back at BJP over its claim on Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam panel role

The Congress on Sunday rejected the BJP’s claim that the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as chairperson of the party’s screening committee for Assam signals an internal rivalry, calling it a deliberate attempt to manufacture divisions within the opposition party.

Senior Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi has been entrusted with key organisational responsibilities in the past and that her new role in Assam reflects continuity and confidence in her experience rather than any shift in leadership equations.

The party recalled that Priyanka Gandhi had earlier served as an ex officio member of the Congress screening committee during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Leaders stressed that assigning her charge of Assam, a politically sensitive state, was part of a broader strategy to strengthen the organisation ahead of elections.

The BJP, however, has alleged that the Congress is trying to project Priyanka Gandhi as a new face of the party after electoral setbacks under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, claiming that rival camps have existed within the Congress for years.

Dismissing the charge, Congress MP Tariq Anwar said Priyanka Gandhi’s role in Assam was neither unprecedented nor unusual. “She was earlier general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh during Assembly elections. This is the second time she has been given responsibility linked to elections in a state. She will use her political experience and capability in Assam, where there is a strong possibility of a Congress comeback,” he said.

Anwar added that the BJP was misrepresenting routine organisational decisions. “Priyanka Gandhi has been general secretary for five years and has worked across the country. The narrative being pushed by the BJP is incorrect,” he said.

Congress leader Udit Raj also defended the move, arguing that the BJP had no locus standi to comment on the party’s internal affairs. “She is our leader and has wide influence. She has experience in organisational work and electoral management, which will only grow further,” he said.

Hitting back at the BJP, Raj accused it of fomenting divisions elsewhere while questioning its own recent appointments. Referring to the elevation of Nitin Nabin as the BJP’s national working president, he said the ruling party should introspect on how responsibilities are being assigned after sidelining senior leaders.

Within the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi’s appointment is being seen as an effort to provide stronger national leadership visibility in Assam, where electoral equations remain complex and competitive.

While Rahul Gandhi continues to be projected as the party’s principal prime ministerial face, Priyanka Gandhi’s growing role has fuelled wider political discussion about leadership and strategy in the opposition space.

In recent weeks, Priyanka Gandhi, a first-time MP, has taken on a more prominent role in Parliament, particularly during the Winter Session, when she led protests against the VB-G RAM G Bill in Rahul Gandhi’s absence.

Her sharp interventions in the House and her leadership during demonstrations, including a march within the Parliament premises holding a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, drew significant attention.

Despite the BJP’s allegations, the Congress maintains that the Assam appointment is a routine organisational decision and part of a broader attempt to sharpen the party’s electoral preparedness rather than a signal of any internal power struggle.

With IANS inputs