Will enter politics if people want: Robert Vadra

Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: Brother-in-law Robert Vadra jumped on to a motorcycle this morning to drum up support for Rahul Gandhi and the Congress as campaigning for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections drew to a close. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband, an avid biker who is often spotted whizzing down Delhi roads, drove down the dirt roads of rural UP leading a motorcycle rally and sparked a buzz when he said he was open to joining active politics.

"If people will wish that, then I will definitely come," said the usually reserved Mr Vadra when asked if he would ever contest elections. He was chatting informally with reporters.

But Priyanka Gandhi has ruled out reports that her husband Robert may be joining politics. She said the media had misunderstood Robert. "You (reporters) must have asked him some twisted question and interpreted the answer. Robert is very happy with his business and I guess, that is what he was wanting to say," she said.

Mr Vadra accompanies his wife regularly to the Amethi-Rae Bareli-Sultanpur Gandhi pocketborough during elections, but usually keeps a low profile politically. He arrived in Amethi last night with his daughter Miraya and said he was lending support as a family member to take forward his brother-in-law Rahul Gandhi's message. "I have come to share and take Rahul's message to villages and every corner of the state", he said.

Priyanka, he said was working 16 hours a day, but was not very specific when asked if his wife, known to be charismatic and a crowd puller, would enter electoral politics. "Everything has its own time. Right now it's Rahul's time, then it will be Priyanka's time...I am never going to hint that. It's her wish and you know the people love her. We get respect even if we are in power or without the power. We are for the people, we don't need to be in power for that," he said.

Priyanka has been campaigning in the Amethi and Rae Bareli areas for the last three days. She too has laughed away the intense speculation over when and if she will join politics, underscoring repeatedly that she is here to help her older brother Rahul as he makes a bid to resurrect the Congress' fortunes in the state. Rahul Gandhi is the sole scriptwriter of the party's campaign for UP 2012 and the family is clearly pulling no stops in ensuring that they give their all. Polling in these areas will be held on February 15.

Mr Vadra says he will accompany his wife on the campaign trail but "I am not here to give speeches, I am here to work and get the message across to people who can't be reached." He nevertheless did address a rally in the Salon assembly segment of Amethi, which is Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency. His daughter accompanied him. So is the Gandhi-Vadra Gen Next being readied?  (In Pics: Robert Vadra, daughter join campaign)

"I have my daughter here as well so I am showing her. I went to a few villages. I saw the change that has come about in the women folk. I have been here for 15 years and I was really surprised and happy to see the confidence in the women here. The self-help groups have done a great job. Each one is being confident. I want my daughter to see it, I wanted her to see at the grass-root level, how the change has come about," Mr Vadra said.

(With PTI inputs)