Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra have been married for 22 years
With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entering active politics for the first time, her husband and businessman Robert Vadra today shared some words of encouragement and support for the new Congress' Secretary In-Charge of Uttar Pradesh (East).
"Congratulations P... always by your side in every phase of your life. Give it your best," Mr Vadra wrote on Facebook, within moments of the Congress officially announcing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's appointment.
The Facebook post has so far received over 800 likes, 200 messages and been shared over 100 times.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, 47, and Robert Vadra, 50, have been married for 22 years now. The couple has two children - a son Raihan and a daughter Miraya. Mr Vadra is being investigated for allegedly corrupt land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's appointment as the party's general secretary in charge of the eastern part of UP, comes at a time when the Congress has been left out of an alliance in the state for the Lok Sabha elections by Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Congress leaders say the Priyanka Gandhi Vadra move will galvanise the party cadre in the state.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who reminds many of her grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi both for her charisma and the stunning likeness, is seen as a natural in politics but she has confined herself to the constituencies of her brother Rahul and mother Sonia Gandhi - Amethi and Raebareli - till now. In national and state elections since 2004, she has campaigned exhaustively in the family seats.
Congress leaders say Priyanka Gandhi was always active in decision-making and played a key role in the alliance with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh election. She also reportedly oversaw the party meeting in which her older brother was anointed chief.