Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections, Congress released its list of 30-star campaigners for phase-2, dropping veteran Raj Babbar amid SP switching rumours.
The Congress party on Saturday released a list of 30-star campaigners who will campaign for the party's candidates in the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections. While the names of senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, senior leader Sachin Pilot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin featured in the list, actor turned politician Raj Babbar was left out of it.
Notably, the list also features the name of senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was dropped from the list of star campaigners for Punjab Assembly Polls. However, Anantpur Sahab MP Manish Tiwari, who was also not featured in the Punjab list, was snubbed in the new UP campaigners’ list again.
Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh do not find a place on the list. Apart from Babbar, Congress has also dropped Kanhaiya Kumar, Bhupinder Hooda. While Babbar is yet to comment on his 'ghar wapsi', SP leader Fakhrul Hasan Chaand confirmed that party president Akhilesh Yadav has been in touch with Babbar for 10 days.
Congress will also release the election manifesto in Lucknow on February 9. General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will release the manifesto.
The Election Commission of India declared the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections 2022 schedule, announcing voting in seven phases on the following dates: February 10 (Thursday), February 14 (Monday), February 20 (Sunday), February 23 (Wednesday), February 27 (Sunday), March 3 (Thursday) and March 7 (Monday). The counting of votes will take place on March 10.