Cong poll panel for state gets cracking

After a three-hour long meeting of the election committee of the UP Congress,held in the presence of Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday,AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh said the Congress would have “no pre-poll alliance with BJP,BSP or SP.” Asked whether a post-poll alliance was a possibility,Singh said,“In no way we can have an alliance with communal forces like BJP. And how can there be an alliance with a party like BSP against which we are fighting in the state and are calling them corrupt?”

He made no mention of the SP,and diverted to other issues.

However,the party can have a pre-poll alliance with small parties and the meeting authorised Rahul Gandhi to take a decision in the matter.

At the meeting,a section of leaders from western UP argued for an alliance with Rashtriya Lok Dal,but they were told that RLD chief Ajit Singh was demanding too many seats.

In his brief remarks,Rahul Gandhi said the party should be aggressive on issues of public concern.

Besides Digvijaya Singh,state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Union Ministers Beni Prasad Verma,Jitin Prasada,RPN Singh,Pradeep Jain ‘Aditya’ attended the meeting.

Many committee members thanked Rahul Gandhi for Bhatta-Parsaul agitation,but he was upset over party’s failure to take it further.

Regarding distribution of party tickets,Rahul said that youths should be given priority,especially where the party is not in a strong position.

“The process of selection of candidates would be completed within next few months. In the third week of June,we have called another meeting of the election committee to discuss the names,” said Digvijaya Singh.

While everyone agreed that the party should announce the first list of candidates as soon as possible,Beni Prasad Verma disagreed and said it could add to factionalism in the party.

Four women members of the committee,including Rita Joshi,suggested the party field at least one woman in every district.