Priyanka Vadra Gandhi is not contesting from Varanasi. The Congress party has officially announced its candidate and it's not her. Whatever happened to all those hints that she could take on Narendra Modi directly?

It all began with the Gandhi lady dropping a hint that she could be fielded from Varanasi. Days later, she said that Rahul Gandhi, the Congress chief, will take the decision on the matter. Her supporters, as well as sections of media, started showing interest in the possibility. In the end, it all boiled down to much ado about nothing.

Says social media influencer Akhilesh Mishra, "This must be a FIRST where THE TOP leader of the party, on her volition, says she will challenge Modi in Varanasi, feeds speculation at every possible opportunity, but when time comes, she vanishes into thin air."

In a way, Priyanka is lucky to have escaped the possibility of making a political blunder. Challenging Modi in Varanasi would have been politically stupid.