Priyanka Gandhi has made her formal foray into politics as the Congress’s general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, barely four months before the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress put out an announcement on its Twitter handle that said Priyanka had been appointed the general secretary of Uttar Pradesh East.

“The Hon’ble Congress President has appointed Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as AICC General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh East. She will be taking charge with effect on first week of February 2019,” the release said.

Rae Bareli, the constituency of Priyanka’s mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and Amethi, which is her elder brother Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha seat, are both in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka, who had stayed away from any party position, was nursing the two constituencies with Sonia and Rahul.

It is unclear yet if Priyanka will contest the next Lok Sabha polls from one of the seats where she is a known face. Rae Bareli and Amethi are the pocket boroughs of the Gandhis.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi welcomed his sister's entry into active politics. 'I am very happy that my sister Priyanka will assist me in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls, she is very capable,' Rahul said.

Asked if Priyanka will contest the Lok Sabha election, he said it is up to her. 'We won't play on the backfoot, we will play on the frontfoot, be it Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh,' he said. 'My point is that we do politics for the people and development and wherever we will get an opportunity, we will play on the front foot.'

'I feel that this step will usher in a new kind of thinking and bring a positive change in Uttar Pradesh politics,' he said.

The BJP slammed the move, saying Rahul has opted for a 'family alliance' after his proposal for a grand alliance faced 'rejection' from various parties.

'The Congress has basically publicly announced that Rahul Gandhi has failed and needs crutches from within the family. Because of his rejection by grand alliance parties, he has opted for a family alliance,' BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

Patra said it was natural that it had to 'coronate' somebody from within the family and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has projected the Lok Sabha elections as a battle between 'naamdar' (dynasts) and 'kaamdar' (those who have worked).

'All appointments are from one family. And this is the fundamental difference between the Congress and the BJP. In the Congress, the family is party. In the BJP, the party is family,' Patra said.