The Hindu : New Delhi News : A lot at stake for Congress in Sunday’s rally

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Friday, Mar 07, 2008
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A lot at stake for Congress in Sunday’s rally

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

A “target” has been given to every MLA, district leader

NEW DELHI: A vast majority of the Congress leadership in Delhi is viewing the party’s Sunday rally at the Ramlila Grounds here as a “do or die” situation since from this very turf Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati had thrown an open challenge to it a fortnight ago. And it is for this reason alone that a “target” has been given to every MLA, block and district leader on the number of people they are supposed to bring in.

Sources in the party said while the aim is to fill up the historic ground and its surrounding roads -- that would require about 2 lakh people -- even managing to bring in 1 lakh people would be a major achievement as the BSP rally had not managed to touch that mark.

``The party is not very sure about the kind of support it would be able to marshal in Delhi and is therefore relying heavily on the influx of a large number of people for the rally from Haryana as also western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan,” said a senior party leader on Thursday.

While all the MLAs in Delhi have been given an unofficial target of bringing in a minimum of a thousand people each, the block units have been directed to arrange for at least five buses each for the rally. The party unit is hoping that with the Delhi Assembly elections due later this year and party tickets at stake, all the MLAs and office-bearers would put their best foot forward to make the rally a success.

Various committees have also been constituted for the rally to look into various aspects of arrangement such as food, shelter and transport. The Delhi Ministers have also been given specific tasks for the rally. Delhi Development Minister has been given the charge of arranging the tent and decoration at the venue while the job of arranging the transport has been entrusted to Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf.

While the main stage from where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi are expected to address the gathering would have seating for seven persons, another stage would be erected on the sides for seating the other senior party leaders.

Mr. Chauhan said he was confident of a large number of people turning up for the rally as the recent Union Budget had really benefited the farmers and the salaried class and both these sections would be eager to listen to what more the Congress has in store for them. The party is also expecting its Haryana unit to bring in a large number of people into Delhi for the event as it is in power there.

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