States Watch

JHARKHAND

Struggle for Panchayati Poll

AICC general secretary, Oscar Fernandes alongwith other party leaders attending a two-day political programme organised by JPCC in Dhanbad

DHANBAD : All India Congress Committee general secretary Shri Oscar Fernandes inaugurated a two-day political programme at the New Town Hall here on 9 March organised by the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee for the AICC members, PCC members, DCC presidents, BCC presidents and presidents of all the different Cells and Frontal Organisations.

Shri Oscar Fernandes addressed the gathering and asked the Congress workers to expose the failures of the state government and the Centre at all possible levels. Shri Fernandes said that the state government does not want to hold elections for the panchayats and therefore it becomes our duty to come together and start a struggle for early elections.

AICC secretaries, Shri G.K. Wasan, Shri Subodhkant Sahay and Shri Furkhan Ansari, Dr. Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shri Rajesh Kumar Shukl, Shri Tilakdhari Singh, Shri Theaodore Kido, Shri Chandrashekhar Dubey, Shri Alamgir Alam, Shri P.N. Singh, Shri R.L. Bhatia, Smt. Pritama Pandey, Shri Manan Malik and Manzoor Ansari addressed the Congress workers.

The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee president, Shri Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu presided over the function while former MLA, Shri Keshav Mehta organised the programme.

MADHYA PRADESH

'Be Prepared for Assembly Polls'

Smt. Ambika Soni addressing a meeting of Congress workers in Bhopal

BHOPAL : The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee organised a meeting here at the Jawahar Bhawan on 2 March where the grassroot level office-bearers spoke about their problems. The meeting was organised, looking forward to the coming Assembly elections in the state, as per the directive of the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi.

The meeting was presided over by state chief minister, Shri Digvijay Singh, while AICC general secretary and incharge of MP, Smt. Ambika Soni and AICC secretary, Shri Daljit Singh attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by block and district presidents, presidents of the frontal organisations, state ministers, Congress MPs, MLAs, MPCC office-bearers and members of the organising committee. The grassroot level workers were asked to speak without hesitation and most of them talked about the problems of electricity, poor roads and of the need to give opportunity to active workers to move up in the cadre.

Addressing the workers, Smt. Ambika Soni asked the workers to be prepared to fight the coming Assembly elections on state-based issues, to reply to BJP allegations in a hard-hitting manner and not to allow Dr. Pravin Togadia to enter the state untill he speaks like a gentleman. Smt. Soni also appreciated the free and frank expressions made by the grassroot workers.

Others who addressed the workers were senior Congress leaders, Shri Arjun Singh, Shri Digvijay Singh, Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Shri Srinivas Tiwari, Shri Kamal Nath and Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Encouraging Move for Backward

Ram Bhuwan Singh Patel, State Kisan Sabha president, addressing Backward Class Cell convention in Indore.

INDORE : The City Congress Committee Backward Class Cell organised the "Jhanda Unchha Rahe Hamara" programme. The purpose of the function was to bring awareness about the Congress programmes created for the welfare of the backward class people. Speaking on the occasion Pradesh Kisan Sabha president, Shri Ram Bhuvan Singh lashed out at the BJP’s malacious propaganda campaign. Shri Bhuvan Singh said that by giving 25% reservation to the backward class in the panchayati raj, the Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Shri Digvijay Singh’s government has boosted the morale and self-pride of the backward class people.

Others who addressed the gathering were district president, Shri Ujagar Singh, MLA, Shri Satya Narayan Patel, Shri Ashwani Jyathi and Shri Kripa Shankar Shukla.