Poll talk focuses on change in state Cong leadership

ALLAHABAD: There is talk of strategic changes in the state Congress leadership before the assembly elections to woo minorities and dalits. Though Congress leaders are tight-lipped, insiders say the messages are being conveyed to Delhi in this regard.

A six-member team of political strategist Prashant Kishor held a meeting with former union minister and Congress working committee member Anil Shastri in Allahabad on Monday night.

He is also said to have suggested the names of former Lakhimpur Kheri MP Zafar Ali Naqvi and PL Punia, chairman, national commission for scheduled caste as possible candidates who could be entrusted the state Congress command in place of Nirmal Khatri.

Anil Shastri is believed to have come to Allahabad and held talks with Team PK on instructions of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. The time and venue of the meeting was kept confidential.

The discussion is also believed to have focussed on steps required to win over Muslims. On being asked, Shastri is believed to have conveyed to Team PK, led by Robin Sharma, that Muslim support would be crucial if the party were to realise its aspiration of regaining lost ground in the state.

Shastri is believed to have suggested that individuals harming the party should be shown the door.

It was also proposed that the party’s top leaders should be asked to keep a watch on group of 20-odd state leaders.

Party spokesman Kishore Varshney declined to reveal details of the meeting but accepted that an understanding on fielding dedicated leaders in the polls and not repeating the mistakes of 2012 assembly poll was reached.