United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, arrived here earlier in the day along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to thank the voters of Rae Bareli and hold the review meeting with the party leaders over the party's dismal performance in general elections.
This is their first visit to the state after the election results were announced.
During the meeting with the Gandhis, Rajesh Mishra, Uttar Pradesh party's vice president, said: "We should fight the 2022 assembly elections by projecting Priyanka Gandhi as our chief ministerial candidate."
Mishra said if Priyanka Gandhi, the party's in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, is declared party's chief ministerial candidate, the party can form the government in the state on its own. He was supported by party's Lok Sabha candidate from Fatehpur parliamentary constituency, Rakesh Sachan.
The Congress has been out of power in the state since 1988. Priyanka Gandhi entered active politics in January this year. She campaigned extensively in the state during the Lok Sabha elections. Priyanka Gandhi, during her Lok Sabha election campaigning in Rae Bareli and Amethi, had asked the party workers to preapre for the 2022 assembly elections in the state.
The party leaders, who had arrived in Rae Bareli for the review meeting, also advised the Gandhis that the Congress should fight the by-elections in 11 assembly constituencies on its own. The demand for fighting the Assembly by-elections on its own were raised by party's Basti Lok Sabha candidate Rajkishore, Unnao candidate Anu Tandon, Sultanpur candidate Sanjay Singhand Varanasi candidate Ajay Rai.
The by-elections for 11 assembly seats have been necessisated after BJP MLAs won Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress had fought the 2017 assembly elections in alliance with Samajwadi Party.
During the day, the Gandhis held meetings with most of the party's Lok Sabha candidates from eastern Uttar Pradesh, the district and city chiefs. District co-ordinators had also been called for the meeting.
(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@.in)
( With inputs from IANS )