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Unable to contain the downward slide of the party in Uttar Pradesh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is toying with the idea of sending daughter Priyanka to campaign for the party and arrest the trend.
"Madam (Sonia Gandhi) has to decide fast whether any good will come out of this exercise," pointed out a party general secretary close to her.
In a frank assessment, the Congress leader pointed out that with the party placed third in the rankings behind the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, various district units in the state had sent messages that Priyanka would be able to swing the party's fortunes significantly for the better.
Among those who want Priyanka to campaign are UP legislature party leader Pramod Tewari, veteran Narayan Dutt Tewari, senior leader Arjun Singh and former state party chief Salman Khursheed, the party leader indicated.
However, Sonia fears that a poor showing at the hustings despite Priyanka's campaigning would make a serious dent in Priyanka's political career, which has been on an upswing since the last parliamentary polls, the leader revealed.
However, Arjun Singh has argued that such considerations should not stop 'heavyweight political leaders' from canvassing for the party because victory and defeat are part and parcel of the electoral gamble, he said.
During Sonia's confabulations with senior leaders, Arjun Singh had pointed out the UP electorate's positive response to Priyanka when she tirelessly campaigned for her mother who won handsomely from Amethi, he said.
But the party has a fair share of sceptics who have countered that in Amethi's five assembly segments - Amethi, Gauriganj, Tiloi, Jagdishpur and Salone - the Congress is a serious contestant only in three - Amethi, Jagdishpur and Salone, the party leader said.
Another drawback is that the Congress was late in announcing the names of its candidates due to internecine squabbles.
This has given the SP and the BJP a head start in the electoral campaign, he pointed out.
According to the party leader, this is the reason for the high command's decision to concentrate its resources only in those constituencies where it is reasonably sure of winning.
Meanwhile, even as the demand for Priyanka is growing by the day, brother Rahul Gandhi seems to have no takers.
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