Amid speculations of 'Priyanka's rise eclipsing brother's future', Robert Vadra hails Rahul as 'youth icon'

New Delhi: With Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka getting all praise for successfully negotiating an alliance with the Samajwadi Party, her son-in-law Robert Vadra has hailed Rahul Gandhi and the young Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Akhlesh Yadav, as youth icons in a Facebbok post.

According to reports, Priaynka's husband Robert Vadra took to Facebook on Tuesday to hail the partnership and toast "two young and dynamic leaders - Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav." 

Interestingly, Vadra stopped short of mentioning his wife Priyanka in the post.

The remarks from Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law come at a time when the Congress central leadership is doing everything to ensure that Priyanka's rise does not eclipse Rahul Gandhi's political future.

The timing of Vadra's remarks are also significant as everyone seems to be praising Priyanka for bringing the derailed SP-Congress alliance issue on track, virtually pushing her brother Rahul into the corner.

The development also comes at a time when speculation is rife that Priyanka will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from her mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's constituency in UP - Raebareli.

Vadra, in his post, called Rahul and SP chief Akhilesh "youth icons" with "brilliant ideas."

After the Akhilesh faction of the rift-ridden SP was allowed the use of the party's electoral symbol, the cycle, last week, the Congress immediately said it would ally with the SP in the upcoming polls to ensure that a "sectarian" BJP is shut out of Uttar Pradesh. But the alliance almost didn't happen, as the Congress wanted to contest from more seats than the SP was willing to give it.

That's when Sonia's daughter Priyanka stepped in and managed to achieve a compromise with SP chief and CM Akhilesh Yadav. 

The Congress was then quick to acknowledge her role.