The Hindu : National : A cottage for Ms. Vadra

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 08, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

A cottage for Ms. Vadra

Kanwar Yogendra
Shimla

Priyanka Vadra, the daughter of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, took time off from a hectic round of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh to make a short visit to the cooler climes of Himachal Pradesh on Monday.

Without informing local Congressmen, Ms. Vadra came to give directions to her staff, who are constructing a cottage for her in Chharabrra, near the hill resort of Kufri. She arrived with her husband Robert Vadra in a helicopter at Kalyani helipad, con structed for the President of India near the Retreat. The VIP couple had lunch at the Wild Flower Hall, a five-star property of the Oberoi group of hotels and left for Delhi in the evening.

Local Congress leaders, when contacted, said they could have used Ms. Vadra’s visit to brighten the poor prospects of Congress in the Shimla seat. The campaign by the Congress in this reserved seat is low key this time and its candidate is suffering because of anti-incumbency sentiment.

Given the factionalism in the Congress, the campaign is solely run by Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Vidya Stokes who was instrumental in arranging land for Ms. Vadra’s cottage here.

Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, whose Assembly constituency also falls under this seat, is himself contesting the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and has not campaigned here at all despite requests by the sitting MP, Col (Retd.) D.R. Shandil.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National