Priyanka Gandhi attends Congress meet amid reports of party rejig, Vice President Rahul Gandhi not present

New Delhi –  Priyanka Gandhi today attended a Congress strategy meeting with senior party leaders amid reports that a major organizational revamp is on the cards. Her brother, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, was not present in the meeting that took place at his residence.

Sources say Priyanka Gandhi joined the meeting in the last five minutes. Senior leaders Ahmed Patel, Janardan Dwivedi and Jairam Ramesh, along with half a dozen other general secretaries were present.

The party says the meeting was held to finalise the tour programme of Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, ahead of the national election due by May.

But Priyanka Gandhi’s presence has fueled speculation at a time the party is expected to make sweeping changes following its recent debacle in four state elections, and bring back ministers to the party.

That Rahul Gandhi was not present was also seen as significant in the middle of reports that the party is likely to name him as its prime ministerial candidate.  An announcement is expected at a one-day Congress session in Delhi on 17 January.

Sources said Priyanka Gandhi, who has so far confined herself to managing her mother and brother’s constituencies Rae Bareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, will help with campaigning but will not contest the Lok Sabha election.