‘Cong plank will be development,will bank on winnability’

There is still a discussion on possible pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the NCP. The city Congress unit has expressed reservations about the alliance. What is the reason?

The Congress has sufficient probable candidates for each civic panel. The pre-poll alliance will dash the hopes of many probable candidates and may also encourage party workers to rebel. Therefore,it is necessary to contest the civic poll on our own.

The fear of division of secular votes in absence of pre-poll alliance has been put forth for the alliance with the NCP. Will this not happen if there is no alliance for PMC polls?

The Congress has a strong votebank in the city. The party has committed voters who will not go to any other political party. The voters might shift their loyalty if pre-poll alliance is forged.

The Congress has been in and out of power in the civic body over the past five years. So,what would be the strategy for the election campaign this time to secure majority on its own?

We will put forward the development works undertaken by the party when in power. Citizens will have to decide on the efficiency with the development work carried by the civic body when the Congress was in power and when it was not. The party will focus on the development work done during its tenure instead of pointing out the failures of the others.

Political parties are coming up with innovative steps to select candidates. What would be the Congress strategy for selecting candidates?

The Congress would continue with its earlier practice of choosing candidates on the ability to win elections. Every party worker of the Congress has grown up doing social work. It is from among them only that the party selects candidates for contesting elections. Any elected candidate will have to deliver and the party has a system to keep track of it.