Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia at a roadshow in UP. (File)The Congress on Sunday launched its preparation for Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh with its various committees meeting at the party headquarters in Lucknow to ready the cadre on ground before senior leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia begin tour of their constituencies.
The manifesto committee headed by Rashid Alvi discussed issues, including unemployment, landless labour, empowerment of women, issues of electricity and power, reviving of old scheme of pension and minimum wages for labourers. It was decided that similar meetings would take place in every Lok Sabha constituency to get the views of the public and grassroot workers.
Sources in the party said there was a suggestion to include the issue of “stray cattle” in the party manifesto at the national level as it is not just affecting villagers in Uttar Pradesh but also in other parts of the country.
Party state president Raj Babbar said the party was also planning to come out with constituency-wise manifesto. He said the idea of such meetings is to prepare the ground before election and ensure that workers do not feel left out so that once election is announced, there is better co-ordination between the worker and the candidate.
Maintaining that each committee would set a time frame for the tasks, Babbar said, “Every Lok Sabha constituency would have its manifesto based on people’s demands. The manifesto would be prepared after meeting the people and would be given to the candidate to make promises and work accordingly.”
Co-ordination committee, headed by Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu, decided to divide the state into five zones and appointe a person in charge for each zone. All the in charges have been asked to visit their respective zones immediately and submit their report by March 16.
“There would be more road shows and nukkad meetings by Jyotiraditya Scindia and Priyanka Gandhi. The idea is to prepare the cadre on the ground before the leaders begin their visits,” said a party leader who was part of the meeting.
Media and publicity committee met under the chairmanship of Rajiv Shukla, while the election strategy and planning committee met under the chairmanship of former Union minister Salman Khurshid. Sources said that the six newly appointed secretaries were asked to start touring their regions and meet grassroot workers.
