UP elections: Congress seeks Rs 11,000 donation with applications from ticket aspirants

In the application pro forma sent to each district unit, the party has sought the details of the transferred amount along with information about an applicant’s political background, social media presence — including the number of their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube followers, and since when they have been active on these platforms — caste, and details of any cases or convictions.

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Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ajay Kumar Lallu in Lucknow (Express Photo by Vishal Srivastav/File)

The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) has instructed its district units to seek Rs 11,000 “sahyog rashi [assistance amount]” from each party ticket applicant for the 2022 Assembly polls. The prospective candidates can make the payment through the RTGS online mode, or using demand drafts and pay orders.

Asked about the donations sought along with the applications, state Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu told The Indian Express, “There is nothing wrong with it. Our party is not a corporate party like the BJP. Our party works with the support of its people and thus we are taking this ‘sahyog rashi’ along with the application to support the organisation and its people and their upcoming activities.”

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In the application pro forma sent to each district unit, the party has sought the details of the transferred amount along with information about an applicant’s political background, social media presence — including the number of their Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube followers, and since when they have been active on these platforms — caste, and details of any cases or convictions. The application also requires them to sign off on an oath to work towards helping the party win the elections. The last date for application is September 25.

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Sources said the application pro forma was prepared after consulting Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi during her recent visit to Lucknow. “In the application, the candidates are required to give details of their political background, social work done by them among other things,” said a state-level leader associated with the process. The UPCC officially authorised the application procedure in an order Lallu issued on Tuesday. A copy of the order was marked to Priyanka Gandhi, all district presidents, members of the state election committee, and state unit office-bearers.

Lallu said the district presidents would collect the applications and submit them to the state election committee for scrutiny. Lallu said that to ensure the money deposited is not siphoned off, the prospective candidates have to provide the details of the RTGS transfers, or the ID numbers and dates of their demand drafts and pay orders.

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