New Delhi:
Priyanka Gandhi will campaign only in Raebareli and Amethi constituencies of Uttar Pradesh but will coordinate the campaign of her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi throughout the country.
The party was seeking to quell speculation over a bigger role for Priyanka in the wake of her participation in a meeting of senior leaders at Mr Gandhi's residence last week.
But this was also the first time the party acknowledged Priyanka's role in the party's affairs beyond Amethi and Raebareli - the constituencies of her brother and mother respectively.
"Priyanka Gandhi will campaign only in Raebareli and Amethi. She has been campaigning in Raebareli and Amethi earlier also.
"She will also coordinate the countrywide tour programmes of the Congress President and the party Vice President, which she had been doing in the past as well," said Ajay Maken, Congress general secretary and Chairman of the party's Communication Department.
Priyanka's meeting with top Congress leaders earlier this week at the residence of her brother had created a flutter in political circles, triggering speculation on whether she was in for a major role ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel, Union minister Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretaries Madhusudan Mistri, Janardan Dwivedi, Ajay Maken and party ideologue Mohan Gopal were also present at the meeting.
There was speculation on whether Priyanka would assume an active political role to perk up the Congress' performance in 2014, particularly in the context of the recent drubbing it received in the Assembly polls.
Congress, though, downplayed the issue, saying the 42-year-old had been active in the party's affairs and questioned the surprise over her interaction with senior leaders.
There has also been talk in recent months on whether Priyanka, who has so far confined herself to campaigning for her mother in Raebareli, would take a plunge into active politics.
"The matter ends if the Chairman of the Communication Department has given a statement. The Chairman has told you about the decision of the party. There is no need to say anything further on it," said party spokesperson Raj Babbar.
He was replying to a query on Mr Maken's statement over Priyanka not campaigning beyond Raebareli and Amethi.