The results of the Uttar Pradesh polls will be very surprising due to the anger of the people there towards the BJP government as well as the stellar campaign efforts of his party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath said on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases between February 10 and March 7, with results being declared on March 10.
"The 'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon' campaign launched by Priyanka Gandhi has filled the people of every religion and caste with new vigour. The poll results of Uttar Pradesh will be a surprising one," Mr Nath told a press conference at his residence in Bhopal.
"I have visited UP recently and was associated with the state right from my Youth Congress days. The people are angry with the ruling party. The efforts of Priyanka Gandhi will bring a lot of change. The polls results in UP will be surprising not just for the Congress but the entire state," he added.
In an apparent swipe at the BJP, Mr Nath said polls cannot be won by advertisements as 95 per cent voters are connected to social media and are well-informed.
The UP Congress model of giving 40 per cent tickets to women will be discussed with the local leadership, he said when asked if it would be replicated in the 2023 Assembly polls in MP.
"I am always in favour of encouraging women in politics and other fields," he said.
Queried on the COVID-19 situation in the state, Mr Nath reiterated his stand that 2.5 lakh people had died of the infection, claiming that his figures were tabulated from cremation grounds etc. and not from the party.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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