This is an archive article published on September 26, 2014
Select Congress leaders to dwell on UP revival, ‘disinterest’
Most of these leaders star campaigners in recent polls
Written by Maulshree Seth
Lucknow | September 26, 2014 11:24 AM IST
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A meeting of a select group of 25-30 senior Congress leaders, most of whom were star campaigners in the recently concluded byelections and Lok Sabha elections, has been called on September 28 in Lucknow. The aim is to work out a revival strategy and to look into the complaints of cadre about the “disinterest” shown by some of these leaders in campaigning.
The list of invitees include former union ministers Beni Prasad Verma, Salman Khurshid, Jitin Prasada, R P N Singh, Pradeep Jain Aditya, former MPs P L Punia, Rajaram Pal, Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Sinh and Pramod Tiwari. All these leaders were assigned responsibilities of one assembly constituency each in the recent bypolls and were also star campaigners.
A surprise invitee is Gandhi family loyalist Captain Satish Sharma .
Other star campaigners like Mohsina Kidwai, former MP Raj Babbar, former state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi along with CLP leader Pradeep Mathur have also been called.
Beni and Babbar would most likely skip the meeting.
This is for the first time that AICC general secretary Madhusdan Mistry is holding a meeting of senior leaders before holding a post-poll review with party cadre and candidates.
“There is no pre-set agenda for the meeting as we want it to be a forum for healthy deliberations among a select group of seniormost leaders. Most of these were star campaigners during the recent elections. The idea is to find out what do they think of the current scenario.” said Congress state president Nirmal Khatri.
Khatri said not much should be read into the invite to Sharma. “He was one of the campaigners during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and he is also Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh. Thus, his advice would be valuable.”
Sharma has been out of regular party activities since long and has been seen mainly during election campaigns in Rae Bareli and Amethi. He was last seen in Amethi during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign of Rahul Gandhi and had accompanied the Congress vice-president on the day of filing of nomination papers.
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The review meeting with the cadre would take place the next day, on August 29.
Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development.
Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity.
Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read More
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