In what could be construed as a repartee to demands for projecting Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the leader by a section in the Congress, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said here on Monday that the focus should be on “strengthening the ideological base of the party rather than the personality base”.
Ms. Kumar said this in reply to a pointed question seeking her views on suggestions to project Ms. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the leader of the party. She was speaking to The Hindu after addressing a press conference at the residence of Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya.
Ms. Kumar added that the voter-base of the Congress needs to be rejuvenated.
Karnataka is a strong Congress citadel, she pointed out, and claimed that the Congress has won the trust of the oppressed, minority, economically and educationally weaker sections and backward classes since Independence. At the KPCC office, Ms. Kumar was received by president G. Parameshwara. She said Ms. Priyanka Vadra could make a difference in retaining the traditional Congress votes if she was chosen leader.