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| Congress supremo accepts Fotedar's proposal | | Sonia going to take 'holy' dip in Allahabad | | BL KAK
NEW DELHI|JAN 16
Sonia Gandhi is planning to visit Allahabad soon for taking a 'holy' dip in the Sangam in Allahabad. According to sources close to 10 Janpath, official abode of the Congress supremo, man from Kashmir's 'holy' town of Mattan, Makhan Lal Fotedar, seems to have sucessfully egged Sonia on to visit Allahabad for a 'holy' bath in the river Ganges.
Her proposed visit will be significant in the context of the ongoing Ardh Kumbh mela. Sources said that even as Sonia Gandhi had been cautioned by security agencies, she appeared keen on an early visit to Allahabad. According to these sources, Sonia is personally keen to make a trip to the holy place on an auspicious occasion.
The Congress leaders say that the decision to visit the once-in-six-years Ardh Kumbh would be her personal one. At the same time, Congress leaders in Utar Pradesh (UP) appear all set to extract maximum political mileage. Senior Congress leader, Makhan Lal Fotedar, as well as several other strategists of the party are of the view that if Sonia Gandhi goes to Allahabad and takes a 'holy' dip, it would send a "good mesage" to the people of UP, for whom the Ardh Kumbh holds a lot of significance.
Congress leaders in UP, scheduled to go to the polls this year, are of the view that Sonia Gandhi's move to participate in the Ardh Kumb mela at Allahabad this time would please upper caste Hindus. There is no denyhing that the Congress desperately needs votes from different sections to better its position in Uttar Pradesh. Many party leaders feel that they should play all the cards to polarise the votes.
Congress MP from Hapur, Surendra Prakash Goyal, was on Tuesday quoted as saying: "Sonia Gandhi is a national leader who thinks highly of all religions. Her visit would definitely send a positive message and help the party in UP". He said that it would be an 'apt reply' to her opponents who raised doubts about her faith and nationality.
Congress leaders point out that going to the Kumbh is a tradition started by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and continued by his daughter and late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Security agencies are not in favour of Sonia Gandhi visiting such a crowded place, and Uttar Pradesh's Samajwadi Party government has warned national leaders against visiting the overcrowded Kumbh grounds.
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