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Congress returns to Kanpur after a quarter-century

LUCKNOW: The Congress’ political line in Uttar Pradesh and the programme of action for the next Lok Sabha elections would be thrashed out at the two-day convention of the Pradesh Congress Committee beginning in Kanpur this Sunday. The session is going to be attended by party president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Mr. Gandhi will be present on both days of the session, while his mother will address the closing session on Monday as well as a public meeting at Phoolbagh in the industrial metropolis.

Since losing power in the country’s largest State back in 1989, the Congress has been searching desperately for direction, although the issues taken up by Mr. Gandhi recently had instilled a feeling of self-belief and confidence in the party workers. The new PCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi admitted that the party workers were confused and at a loss to figure out what precise line to take against the party’s political adversaries in the State.

“Politics in UP is in doldrums as something is always cooking,” said Ms. Joshi.

To translate words into action, the PCC chief underlined the need for a cohesive approach and a sense of involvement in the party’s programmes and policies in the State over the next one year, coinciding with the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. With 80 Lok Sabha seats, Uttar Pradesh holds the key for the Congress Party’s success in the next elections.In this context, the possibility of a Congress tie-up with the Samajwadi Party of former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh is likely to figure at the two-day convention. The recent decision of the UPA Government to reject Chief Minister Mayawati’s demand for a CBI probe into the police recruitment and food scams has fuelled speculation about the Congress and the Samajwadi Party getting together before the 2009 elections. The Samajwadi leader remained non-committal over the possibility of an alliance with the Congress during the party’s three-day national convention which ended in Jabalpur this Friday.

The Congress convention in Kanpur will be divided into separate sessions where the PCC delegates will present their views on the agenda ahead. Apart from discussing organisational matters, a political resolution outlining the party line and an economic resolution are expected to be adopted. Besides, guidelines will be issued to the workers on which areas to focus on over the next one year.

Over 1,700 delegates are expected to attend the convention which is being held in Kanpur after a long gap of 26 years. The 1982 session was addressed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

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Congress returns to Kanpur after a quarter-century

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