UP Cong names observers before bypoll schedule

The Election Commission may be yet to decide on the election formalities for bypolls in 13 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, but UP ...

The Election Commission may be yet to decide on the election formalities for bypolls in 13 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, but UP Congressmen, playing the early bird, have already appointed observers for the 13 constituencies. They are perhaps aware that these will be the first elections after party president Sonia Gandhi assumed a rajmata sort of status after refusing the PM8217;s post.

Political circles in UP have understandably been taken by surprise, as the Congress is known to generally be the last to announce its list of candidates, let alone talk of observers. 8216;8216;The party has a vote percentage of 8.6 in the Assembly polls and nearly 12 per cent in the recent Lok Sabha polls. But the speed with which the party leaders announced the names of observers had never been seen in the Congress camp so far in any electoral encounter,8217;8217; said Vijay Pathak, BJP8217;s media in-charge.

This move is being viewed not only as an attempt to please the high command, but also to capitalise on the positive response to party president Sonia Gandhi8217;s rejection of the PM8217;s post. 8216;8216;State chief Jagdambika Pal has appointed election observers in each Assembly segment where bypolls are to be held in the near future,8217;8217; read an official Congress communique.

In fact, Pal has directed the election observers to immediately assume their new responsibilities and start work on their respective constituencies, where 8216;8216;they should remain present till they ensure victory of the Congress nominee8217;8217;.

Barring the Congress, no other party in Uttar Pradesh is currently even thinking about these bypolls as the EC hasn8217;t even announced the dates for these bypolls.

These 13 seats fell vacant either because the sitting MLA was elected to Parliament, or had died. Eleven MLAs from the 13 Assembly seats made it to Parliament, and have to quit within six months of being elected to Parliament. Among the eleven who made it to Parliament, five are from the SP, two each from Congress and the BSP and one each from BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal.

The Congress for its part, has assumed the role of a 8216;8216;constructive opposition8217;8217; in UP, despite having extended outside support to the Mulayam Singh government. In fact, a delegation of Congress leaders even submitted a memorandum to Governor Vishnukant Shastri on the deteriorating law and order situation. The party has also decided to organise protests in each district, to highlight the failure of the Mulayam government.

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Party cadre too is upbeat. 8216;8216;The immediate intervention of the Centre in an incident involving the killing of a party worker in Rae Bareli, has sent a message to the rank and file that now, they will be protected. Bureaucrats are paying attention to district leaders, earlier, no official was ready to given them even a patient hearing,8217;8217; said party spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh.