So, who will be the face of the chief minister for the Congress Party in India’s most populous state?

During separate review meetings undertaken by AICC general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the majority of Congress leaders and grassroot workers wanted the projection of Priyanka as CM for the crucial 2022 assembly polls.

On this issue, Jyotiraditya Scindia said that there were many suggestions and party would take a decision at an appropriate time.

It would be worth mentioning here that when Priyanka Gandhi was made the AICC general secretary, Congress President Rahul Gandhi had said that his sister would concentrate in UP to help the party to form its own government in 2022.

However, the review meetings pointed out that there was a staggering gap between the party high command and the workers on the ground.

The candidates who lost the polls as party could win only one seat in UP — that too of Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareili — blamed the party high command for lack of direction.

The candidates as well as workers said that there was no clarity from the top leaders on whether to fight against the gathbandhan of SP-BSP-RLD or support them strategically.

Second-rung leaders within the party also said that Priyanka Gandhi's statement that the party would support the gathbandhan where Congress had “fielded weak candidates” also confused Congress voters. In those cases, it has been suggested now, that the Congress became a “vote katua” party.

Congress candidates also blamed absolute lack of coordination with the party organisation which resulted in confusion and chaos over the chain of command and confusing signals.

On the other hand, the party office bearers at district and headquarter levels complained that that candidates failed to get support from the top party leaders.

The biggest complaint from the party workers was regarding the poor selection of candidates.

Those who were denied ticket by other parties were accommodated and welcomed in the party and given tickets by the Congress high command.

The timing of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry in the party and the major responsibility awarded to her for handling eastern UP are also being talked about in party circles.

Majority of the Congress party leaders pointed out that the Priyanka card was wasted by the high command in the absence of party organisation at the ground level.

Congress leaders also complained that if Raj Babbar had submitted his resignation after the humiliation in 2017 assembly polls, he should have been replaced by another Congress leader who could devote more time in building up the organisation.

If Raj Babbar was given responsibility as UPCC President then he should have been given full committee to reach out to the It was noted that Raj Babbar was functioning without even a proper committee.

After listening to candidates and party office bearers, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia promised to prepare the road map for Mission 22.

Priyanka and Jyotiraditya also pledged to extensively tour the state and meet the local party leaders to bridge the communication gap, as complained by several Congress leaders at review meetings.

One is clear that both Priyanka and Jyotiraditya made it amply clear that the Congress will be contesting on all seats in Uttar Pradesh on its own. They ruled out any alliance for the 2022 assembly polls.

Congress is yet to take a decision on whether to contest the 11by-polls for assembly seats vacated after Lok Sabha polls.

Priyanka and Jyotiraditya are facing a tough time to revive the party organisation at the grassroots level and boost the sagging morale of the Congress workers which is at the lowest ebb due to the string of defeats in one after another election, especially the 52-seat Lok Sabha 2019 tally, with only a single seat secured from Uttar Pradesh, by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi. (IPA Service)