Priyanka Gandhi Vadra likely to begin political journey with holy dip in Prayagraj: Report

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was recently appointed AICC general secretary for Uttar Pradesh east, is likely to begin her political innings by taking a holy dip at Sangam in Prayagraj on February 4. According to a report in IANS, she will be accompanied to the Kumbh by Congress president and her brother Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi will hold a press conference along with Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow on the same day, the report said.

Priyanka is currently in the US and is likely to return on January 31. According to reports, if the Gandhis don’t get a chance to take a holy dip on February 4 - the second ‘Shahi Snan’ on Mauni Amavasya – then they will opt for February 10, the occasion of Basant Panchami or third ‘Shahi Snan".

This is perhaps the first time the two Gandhis will take a dip at the Sangam, the confluence of three rivers — the Ganges, the Yamuna and a third mythical river the Saraswati. Sonia Gandhi too had attended the Kumbh Mela - a mega Hindu congregation - and taken a holy dip at Sangam in 2001.

The reports come amid recent accusation by the Bharatiya Janata Party that the Congress president has begun indulging in 'soft Hindutva'. Of late, the party chief embarked on several temple visits. It started during Gujarat Assembly elections 2017 and the trend continued during elections in Karnataka followed by recent elections in three Hindi heartlands - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Meanwhile, the Congress president said Priyanka's entry into politics was not sudden as she had decided to play a role in the party after her children grew up. The decision on the timing of Priyanka's political plunge was taken some years ago.

"Now her children are grown-ups. While one of them has entered university, another too has grown up. Therefore, she decided to join politics," he said.