Congress yatra to enthuse workers

The A K Antony Committee had talked about the need for the party to go back to the masses and grass-root workers who, it was felt, had been alienated due to its inability to project itself clearly on specific issues pertaining to ideology and polices. The committee8217;s report and the CWC which endorsed its proposals had suggested that there was urgent need for the party to 8220;sit among the masses and find out what they want.8221;

Sources said it was decided to commence the yatra fromvarious districts and state capitals on January 15 and culminate it on January 30 in the national capital, to coincide it with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The party8217;s chief ministers and PCC units in various states have already been sent directions to ensure a continuous participation in the yatra. Party president Sonia Gandhi is likely to address the yatra in Delhi.

A senior leader pointed out that such exercises needed to be carried out at regular intervals by the party now that it had been clearly reduced to an opposition party.. 8220;On all the earlier occasions, the party sat in the opposition, it was always with an eye on toppling the government in power and forming an alternate one..Now is the time to find out what went wrong and rejuvenate,8221; he felt.

Senior party leaders say the yatra will be utilised to explain to the party workers and the masses that the credit for the economic reforms belongs to the Congress since most of them were initiated when the party was in power.