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Some soul-searching at Congress meet

Special Correspondent

"Poll success will depend on selection of candidates"

LUCKNOW: Voices of dissent surfaced at the maiden meeting of the State executive of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee here on Tuesday with the Union Minister of State for Home, Sri Prakash Jaiswal, and former PCC president Jagdambika Pal expressing concern at delay in implementation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's strong message of change in UP.

The meeting, presided over by PCC president Salman Khurshid and attended by the party general secretary in charge of U.P. affairs, Ashok Gehlot, was held against the background of Ms. Gandhi's recent rallies at Kanpur and Bareilly.

Addressing the delegates, Mr. Jaiswal said the people of the State were waiting for change but wondered why the leadership was dragging its feet in translating words into action. The Union Minister of State for Home counselled the State leadership that the success of the party in next year's Assembly elections would depend on the selection of the candidates.

Mr. Jaiswal said if the right selection was made then the Congress' tally could go up to 216 from the present strength of 16 MLAs. But if the right choices were not made then the tally may even come down to below 16, he added.

Mr. Jagdambika Pal was even more scathing in his attack. He said instead of fighting Jagdambika Pal, the State leadership should take on Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Maywati.

The former UPCC president, who was one of the chief detractors of Mr. Khurshid, said that in her Kanpur and Bareilly rallies the Congress president had set the agenda for next year's polls. The onus, he added, was now on the State leadership to take it to its logical conclusion.

Two resolutions were passed at the State executive meeting. One thanked the Congress president for the success of the Kanpur and Bareilly ralllies, while the second resolution thanked Ms. Gandhi for her decision on Rahul Gandhi leading the Congress charge in UP.

Drought-like conditions in the Bundelkhand region of the State came up for discussion during the meeting with several speakers favouring the idea of Mr. Gandhi touring the backward region for seeing the conditions and to drum up support for the party.

About Ms. Gandhi's "jail bharo" call against the State Government, the meeting decided to postpone the programme in view of the ongoing month of Ramzan and the forthcoming elections to local bodies. The dates would be announced later.

Later, addressing the media, the UPCC president said that Mr. Gandhi's entry was keenly anticipated.

Mr. Khurshid said the Amethi MP was taking keen interest in UP politics and had been holding regular review meetings with senior party leaders.

Punia joins Congress

Retired bureaucrat P. L. Punia joined the Congress during the course of the executive body meeting. Mr. Punia had served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister under Mr. Yadav and Ms. Mayawati.

The former IAS officer wielded considerable clout during Ms. Mayawati's regime from May 2002 to August 2003. After retirement he formed Dalit Morcha, a non-political organisation.

Denying that he was close to Ms. Mayawati, Mr. Punia attacked the non-Congress parties for misleading the people in the name of caste and religion.

Stating that these parties had no long-term perspective, Mr. Punia said he had joined the Congress "to expose the caste and religion-based parties".

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