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| Priyanka Gandhi launches political career ahead of key India polls | Priyanka Gandhi launches political career ahead of key India polls |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Priyanka Gandhi, the charismatic sister of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, has formally joined politics months ahead of general elections in India. | Priyanka Gandhi, the charismatic sister of Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, has formally joined politics months ahead of general elections in India. |
| Ms Gandhi has been appointed the party general secretary for the eastern part of the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. | Ms Gandhi has been appointed the party general secretary for the eastern part of the crucial state of Uttar Pradesh. |
| She has campaigned extensively for her brother and mother Sonia Gandhi in earlier elections, but had refused a formal political role for herself. | She has campaigned extensively for her brother and mother Sonia Gandhi in earlier elections, but had refused a formal political role for herself. |
| Analysts say she will infuse fresh energy into the Congress campaign. | Analysts say she will infuse fresh energy into the Congress campaign. |
| The main opposition Congress party was routed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last general election in 2014 and has found it hard to recover. | The main opposition Congress party was routed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last general election in 2014 and has found it hard to recover. |
| The party gained some ground in recent state elections, but faces a tough challenge to beat the BJP and regain power. | The party gained some ground in recent state elections, but faces a tough challenge to beat the BJP and regain power. |
| Social media had been awash with rumours of Priyanka Gandhi's impending political launch in recent days and on Wednesday, the Congress officially confirmed the news with this tweet: | Social media had been awash with rumours of Priyanka Gandhi's impending political launch in recent days and on Wednesday, the Congress officially confirmed the news with this tweet: |
| Many in the party have clamoured for a larger role for Ms Gandhi for years, but the 47-year-old mother-of-two has been reluctant until now to take centre stage. | |
| In previous elections, she had restricted her campaigning to Amethi and Rae Bareli - the parliamentary constituencies of her brother and mother - and is held in high esteem by the voters there. | In previous elections, she had restricted her campaigning to Amethi and Rae Bareli - the parliamentary constituencies of her brother and mother - and is held in high esteem by the voters there. |
| The Gandhi family has enjoyed cult status in these underdeveloped areas where her father Rajiv and grandmother Indira Gandhi - both former prime ministers - also won several elections. | The Gandhi family has enjoyed cult status in these underdeveloped areas where her father Rajiv and grandmother Indira Gandhi - both former prime ministers - also won several elections. |
| Her appointment has been greeted enthusiastically by Congress party leaders, workers and supporters, who have often compared her to her charismatic grandmother. | Her appointment has been greeted enthusiastically by Congress party leaders, workers and supporters, who have often compared her to her charismatic grandmother. |