Priyanka Gandhi

Wednesday will be the third day of her questioning. On Tuesday she was questioned for almost six hours in two sessions. Earlier in the day, she arrived at the ED headquarters at 11 a.m. along with her daughter Priyanka Gandhi who was carrying a medicine box. After three hours of questioning Sonia Gandhi was allowed a lunch break. She again joined the probe at around 4 p.m.

She arrived at the ED office at 11 a.m. along with her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who was keeping a medicine box with her. After three hours of questioning, Sonia Gandhi was allowed to go on a lunch break. She again joined the probe at around 4 p.m. The Congress chief was questioned by a team led by additional director Monika Sharma.

According to sources, Priyanka told the ED officials that since her mother does not keep well, she takes care of the medicines and hence her presence is required. She requested the ED officials to allow her to be present at the questioning room. Considering the Congress president's health condition, the ED has agreed to let Priyanka be around her mother but in a separate room.

"Congress President, Smt Sonia Gandhi has been meeting leaders & activists over last week, some of whom have been found Covid +ve. Congress President had developed mild fever & Covid symptoms last evening. On testing, she has been found to be Covid positive", Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had informed in a tweet on Thursday.

The political affairs group is likely to function as the parliamentary board or a core group as the dissidents had demanded revival of the parliamentary board to take key party decisions. With Rahul on board, party president Sonia Gandhi has to ensure that advice from him will be given more weightage. Rahul's key aide K C Venugopal has also been kept in the two committees.

Sources in the Congress confirmed that its state unit chief D.K. Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah have already approached Priyanka Gandhi on this matter. They have reportedly explained to the Congress leader that her grandmother late Indira Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi had earlier contested elections from Karnataka and emerged victorious. While Indira Gandhi had contested from Chikkamagaluru in 1978, Sonia Gandhi contested from Ballari in 1999.

Party leaders are now demanding the resignation of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is in charge of Uttar Pradesh. AICC member Zeeshan Haider, who was recently expelled from the party, has written a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi saying that in keeping with the party tradition, Priyanka must also take the responsibility for the party's dismal performance in the Assembly polls and step down from her post.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is leading the 'G-23' group demanding sweeping organisational changes in the party, is likely to meet party interim chief Sonia Gandhi on Thursday to address the grievances of the group sources said. Its likely that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will also be present at this meeting. On Wednesday, 'G-23' leaders met at Azad's residence to chalked out their strategy ahead of the meeting.

An intense campaign, huge crowds, attractive slogans and charismatic leadership. Yet the Congress has hit rock bottom in Uttar Pradesh, putting a question mark on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's leadership abilities. The party is likely to end up with just two seats, compared to the seven it won in 2017. The party has faced drubbing in its one-time bastions -- Rae Bareli and Amethi -- where the party has not won even a single seat.

As trends show that the BJP is set to regain all the four states it was ruling and the Congress is on the verge of losing Punjab, the spotlight now shifts to leadership and the team which was operating behind the scenes, whether for Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Fingers will be pointed at the teams and leadership of Rahul and Priyanka.