Uttar Pradesh: Seeking reversal in fortune, Congress looks at enlisting professionals

The AIPC is a body that will have professionals from different fields, such as medicine and engineering, who are interested in politics.

After it failed to win a single mayor seat in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is looking to bring in new blood through its recently-formed state chapter of the All India Professional Congress (AIPC). The AIPC is a body that will have professionals from different fields, such as medicine and engineering, who are interested in politics.

On December 9, the state AIPC will hold its first “big” event in Lucknow – “Challenges before contemporary India” with commentator Salman Anees Soz, and a member of AIPC’s national body, as chief guest. The event is expected to attract the attention of young professionals from different parts of the state. “They (professionals) are tax payers. While they have knowledge about what is happening in the country and what should happen, they do not have time for regular meetings or dharna pradarshan, but they have lot of constructive ideas to contribute,” said Ameeta Singh, chairperson, AIPC (UP).

After the Lucknow meet, another one at Varanasi will see white papers on Banarasi silk and an interaction between its members and weavers.  “Not just Banaras silk, we will also bring out white papers on Aligarh locks, Bhadohi carpet and even Lucknow Chikankari after sitting with people, who have lot to contribute towards government policy,” said Singh, also a former Amethi MLA. One such meeting was recently called by Noida chapter of the wing, headed by Huma Tahir, a medical graduate from Aligarh. The Lucknow chapter is headed by Amar Habibullah who manages a business and is grandson of veteran Congress leader Begun Hamida Habibullah. Similar, chapters have been initiated in districts like Amethi, Sultanpur, Varanasi, Aligarh etc.