Rahul Gandhi asks UP Congressmen to strengthen party at grassroot level

While the Congress party has been preparing itself for the 2014 Lok Sabha poll battle, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Congress workers to strengthen the organisation at the grassroot level in Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul Gandhi held a review meeting to take stock of the party's poll preparations in the state. Congress poll managers apprehend that there is a well-thought out attempt by the BJP to polarise elections in the state, where the Ram Temple issue had once catapulted the BJP to limelight. Congress leaders feel that the party should get its act together to regain the lost glory in the state. Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the last Lok Sabha elections had given hopes for revival of the organisation as it secured as many as 22 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.

In his meetings with the AICC general secretary in-charges of states, chief ministers or CLP leader and PCC chiefs of states, Rahul Gandhi had earlier directed them to fill up a form listing the number of meetings, they hold at the block and district levels. The Congress Vice President reviewed the work done on the basis of that format today. Besides, Uttar Pradesh, he also reviewed the party preparations in the Congress-ruled Haryana. AICC general secretary in-charge of organisations Janardan Dwivedi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel participated in both meetings. AICC general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh Madhusudan Mistri, PCC chief Nirmal Khatri, CLP leader Pradip Mathur besides AICC secretaries in-charge of the state attended the meeting on Uttar Pradesh.