Speculation rife over Priyanka absence from Congress convention in Gujarat

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has raised questions on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s absence from the Ahmedabad session of the Congress. BJP IT department chief Amit Malviya raised this question in his post on X, claiming that all was not well behind the scenes between Priyanka and her brother Rahul Gandhi. There seems to be some substance in this question. If we look at the sequence of events

from the budget session to the Congress session, then something is wrong. However, on the day of the convention, the party’s organization general secretary, K.C. Venugopal clarified that she had gone abroad because of family commitments after consulting the party president. Senior party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh defended Priyanka by saying that why many members had not come, not just Priyanka Vadra. Some Congressmen say that someone in her mother’s family is ill, that is why she is abroad. But nobody knows the truth. But this is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has distanced herself from such an important program. The Gujarat convention was seen as crucial, for there were indications that she would be assigned a key organizational role. Following the Congress’ defeat in the Delhi elections, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge had formed an informal committee to strengthen the organization, in which Priyanka was expected to play a vital part.

The committee, led by Mukul Wasnik, comprised eight members, and it was reportedly Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s idea to empower district presidents as part of strengthening the party from the grassroots. Despite being a general secretary, Priyanka has remained without a specific charge in Mallikarjun Kharge’s new team. According to sources, when she was offered the responsibility of overseeing Uttar Pradesh again, she declined. She is said to be aiming for a higher position within the party—possibly the second-ranking post—but internal dynamics seem to be hindering her progress.

Insiders suggest that some leaders close to Rahul Gandhi are not keen on Priyanka taking on a more prominent role. These individuals are also believed to be against any unity between the two branches of the Gandhi family. Political observers believe that if Maneka Gandhi and her family were to rejoin the Congress, the party could gain significant strength. However, certain leaders are allegedly influencing Rahul Gandhi to prevent such reunification, primarily to protect their own positions. Interestingly, Priyanka had herself proposed the idea of strengthening the organization from the lower levels, a suggestion the party eventually accepted. She was apparently eyeing a role in the Election Management Committee, a position considered to be on par with the General Secretary (Organization). However, at the Ahmedabad convention, while there was talk of empowering district presidents, the earlier Udaipur resolution was notably absent from the discussions. Speculation suggests Priyanka realized that her role would be limited to just being an officer without significant authority, prompting her to stay away from the event. Her recent appearances also reflect this shift. During the budget session, she appeared far less active compared to her participation in the winter session. She wasn’t given a platform to speak, despite raising several issues. Notably, she made a strong impression in the winter session with her maiden speech in the Lok Sabha.

However, in the latest session, she was sidelined from key discussions, including on the Budget and the Waqf Bill.
While official party sources cite personal family commitments for her absence, the underlying tensions and her diminishing role suggest deeper issues that may be affecting her place within the Congress. Whether this signals a long-term shift or a temporary phase remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s role and future in the party are currently at the crossroads.