UP Cong begins 100-day outreach plan ahead of elections

Lucknow: The UP Congress on Friday announced a 100-day outreach strategy aimed at strengthening the party's grassroots presence and connecting with voters ahead of upcoming elections. Over the next three months, the party plans to organise more than 30 ‘Samvidhan Samvaad' rallies across the state to highlight public issues and consolidate its support base, party functionaries said.The announcement was made during two key meetings at the state Congress headquarters, attended by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in-charge of UP, Avinash Pandey, and state Congress president Ajay Rai. The first meeting focused on the political affairs committee, while the second brought together MGNREGA coordinators, SIR coordination committee members, district and city Congress presidents, and chairpersons of various party frontal organisations and departments. Prior to the start of the sessions, Pandey and Rai paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by offering floral tributes at his portrait.Addressing the gathering, Pandey highlighted the challenges of an election year, which will see panchayat, MLC and assembly polls. He stressed the need for a strong organisational network across all 403 assembly constituencies, saying, "We must prepare a detailed roadmap to tackle challenges and ensure a robust presence across the state."Rai outlined the outreach strategy, saying the rallies will serve as a platform to address public grievances. Legislative assembly Congress functionary Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona' added that on Jan 12, press conferences will be held across all districts to launch the 100-day action plan, coinciding with the birthday of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi.Party functionaries emphasised the importance of grassroots mobilisation. National secretary Dheeraj Gurjar said the panchayat elections will set the tone for the upcoming assembly polls, while MLC election strategies will focus on maximising voter registration, with national secretary Pradeep Narwal describing the poll as crucial. SIR coordination committee in-charge Taukeer Alam urged intensified efforts to update voter lists and prevent attempts at creating fake voters.Sanjay Dixit, in charge of the party's war room, criticised the state govt for ending schemes such as MGNREGA, claiming it impacted rural livelihoods. Party spokesperson Manish Hindvi said that the 140th anniversary of Congress, celebrated earlier from Lucknow through the ‘Seva aur Balidan' programme, will now extend across the state.The meetings, which saw participation from leaders including former state president Ajay Kumar Lallu, MPs, state secretaries and legislative assembly leaders, underscored the party's dual focus on strengthening its organisation at the grassroots level and actively engaging with voters in preparation for the election cycle.