The Uttar Pradesh Congress unit has kicked off an ambitious 100-day public outreach campaign aimed at revitalising its grassroots network and directly engaging with voters in the run-up to a series of crucial elections. The strategy was unveiled during key meetings at the party's state headquarters in Lucknow on Friday.
Leadership Outlines Election-Year Roadmap
The announcement was made during two significant gatherings attended by top party brass. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and UP in-charge Avinash Pandey and state Congress president Ajay Rai led the deliberations. Before the meetings commenced, both leaders paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi's portrait.
Addressing party workers, Avinash Pandey underscored the challenges of the impending election year, which includes panchayat, MLC, and assembly polls. He emphasised the critical need to build a strong organisational network across all 403 assembly constituencies of the state. "We must prepare a detailed roadmap to tackle challenges and ensure a robust presence across the state," Pandey stated.
Core of the Strategy: Rallies and Grassroots Mobilisation
Ajay Rai detailed the outreach plan, revealing that the party will organise more than 30 'Samvidhan Samvaad' (Constitution Dialogue) rallies across Uttar Pradesh over the next three months. These rallies are designed to serve as platforms for highlighting public grievances and consolidating the party's support base.
Legislative assembly functionary Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' added that the 100-day action plan will be formally launched on January 12 through press conferences in all districts. This date coincides with the birthday of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Party leaders stressed the foundational importance of grassroots work. National secretary Dheeraj Gurjar noted that the upcoming panchayat elections will set the tone for the assembly polls. MLC election strategies will focus heavily on maximising voter registration, described as crucial by national secretary Pradeep Narwal. Taukeer Alam, in-charge of the SIR coordination committee, urged intensified efforts to update voter lists and prevent the creation of fake voters.
Criticism of Government and Statewide Expansion
The meetings also featured sharp criticism of the state government. Sanjay Dixit, who heads the party's war room, accused the government of ending schemes like MGNREGA, claiming it has adversely impacted rural livelihoods.
Furthermore, party spokesperson Manish Hindvi announced that the 'Seva aur Balidan' programme, which marked the Congress's 140th anniversary starting from Lucknow, will now be extended across the entire state.
The sessions saw broad participation from a cross-section of party leadership, including former state president Ajay Kumar Lallu, MPs, state secretaries, and legislative assembly leaders. The conclave underscored the party's twin focus: strengthening its organisational machinery at the booth level and actively connecting with the electorate as the election cycle gains momentum.
