NEW DELHI (TIP): Backed by an internal survey that promised positive outcome, poll strategist Prashant Kishor held discussion with the Congress’s first family of Gandhis on the prospects of projecting Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the face for 2017 UP polls.

About a fornight back, Kishore, hired by the Congress to work out a strategy for UP and Punjab elections after he delivered positive results for the JD-U in Bihar, he had a meeting with the Gandhi family in the national capital where Sonia and Rahul were also present. In that close door meeting, Kishore proposed the idea of pitching Priyanka in the elections as he felt that she would be bring good results for the Congress, said sources aware of the development.

Kishor, who had emerged as a backroom election manager after he aided Narendra Modi’s campaign, shared details of an internal survey with the Gandhis that indicated a ground swell for Priyanka. She is, however, reluctant to take the plunge into the electoral politics and is content with managing the constituencies of her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul in Uttar Pradesh. Sources said the Gandhis neither rejected nor gave their consent to an option of searching a credible face for the Congress that can be the joint mascot if the party decides to adopt Bihar model of having alliance to take on ruling Samajwadi Party and opposition BSP and BJP in a multi-cornered contest.