Priyanka re-schedules Ayodhya visit; cancels train journey

LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary (Uttar Pradesh east) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has once again re-scheduled her Ayodhya visit and cancelled her maiden train travel to Faizabad slated for March 27.

Ms Vadra, who has changed her UP visit several times in the past, will now embark on a three-day visit to Amethi, Rae Bareli and Ayodhya, starting tomorrow.

The proposed visit to Ayodhya by Kaifiat express from New Delhi now stands cancelled and now she will reach Lucknow by flight on Wednesday morning and will first visit her brother Rahul Gandhi’s Amethi constituency on March 27. The next day she will be campaigning in her mother Sonia’ Gandhi’s Rai Bareli constituency.
On March 29, Ms Vadra is slated to visit Ayodhya and after worshiping at the Hanumangarhi temple, will hold a road show.
Party sources here on Tuesday confirmed about the change in the programme of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

It has been reported that due to security reasons, her train travel has been cancelled and the security agencies have cleared her visit by aircraft and road only.

Since her official political debut in January 2019, Ms Vadra has already visited two significant temple towns in the state ? PM Modi’s constituency Varanasi and Prayagraj. She is likely to halt at 32 points between Faizabad to Amethi, including Rae Bareli and Barabanki during the campaign, sources said.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders have questioned Priyanka’s visit to Ayodhya.

UP Minority Affairs Minister Mohsin Raza said in a statement, “Those who are questioning the existence of Lord Ram, what are they going to find in Ayodhya?

He further said ,”They (Congress) did not go to Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. There was a `deepotsav` event in Ayodhya. That was also not attended by them. They are going (to Ayodhya) as they have remembered Babar (Mughal ruler). They want to search for his remains there,” he said.

Further alleging that Ms Vadra is a Siberian bird, who migrates from one place to another after seeing the weather conditions, Mohsin Raza said it it was her a “picnic” campaign to fool the people.

UP BJP spokesperson Chandramohan also took a dig, asking if she would “say sorry” there for her party “putting hurdles” in building the Ram temple.

“Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take the pious Saryu river waters in her hand there and atone the sins committed by the Congress in Ayodhya?” he asked.

The Lok Sabha elections in 80 seats in UP are scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19.
(AGENCIES)