New team in place, cadre sees hope for Priyanka-led Cong in UP
LUCKNOW: With the Congress announcing the appointment of a 45-member team for Uttar Pradesh to assist general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in accomplishing ‘Mission 2022’, cadre is hoping for an early revival of party’s fortune in the politically crucial state.
The Congress has remained out of power in the state since 1989 and currently has only seven MLAs in UP.
With the state team in place, next on Priyanka’s agenda will be the strengthening of district organisations by setting up new district and block level units, revamping frontal organisations, cells and departments.
She is also likely to undertake tours to different districts to meet people.
The new team — led by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Kumar Lallu — will take charge at the UPCC headquarters on October 11.
After it, the party proposes to hold a three-day training and interactive session for all the office-bearers in Rae Bareli from October 14, confirmed a senior Congress leader, adding, “Details of the training and interactive session and trainers etc. are yet to be worked out.”
Priyanka is likely to meet the new team members along with advisory council of 18 senior leaders and eight-member strategy and planning working group led by Jitin Prasada at the three-day session in Rae Bareli.
The session will provide an opportunity to the Congress to shape strategy and action plan to bring the party back to power in UP.
After 2019 poll debacle, the Congress had dissolved all the district party units and a roadmap to revamp the party organisation up to grassroots level was worked out. Lallu, along with Congress secretaries (incharge
UP), camped in different districts to take feedback from partymen to set up the new party structure. Priyanka herself held a series of feedback sessions and travelled to Rae Bareli on June 12 to have a close door interaction with the 2019 poll candidates and officebearers and other senior leaders. Those who attended the Rae Bareli meeting demanded that Priyanka be declared a chief ministerial candidate for 2022 assembly polls as a strategy to bring the party to power in UP.
After the new UPCC, her first major task will be to set up the District Congress Committees (DCCs) to take down the party’s programmes to people.
But whether she will be
declared a chief ministerial candidate will only be decided by the Congress high command.
“As far as we are concerned we will extend all our support to her to strengthen the party organisation for 2022 polls,” said another leader. Lallu said he was yet to get any information about the training session or Priyanka’s tour programme. Those aware with unfolding developments in the party, however, said Priyanka proposes to tour all the districts of the state in coming months.
Former union minister late Sheila Kaula’s house situated on Gokhle Marg, Lucknow, will work as a base for her future programmes in Uttar Pradesh, said a leader.