States Watch

UTTAR PRADESH

No Compromises in UP: Rahul Gandhi

AMETHI: Congress should avoid making any compromises even if it meant staying away from power for some more time if it wants to regain strength in the politically important State of Uttar Pradesh, party leader and MP, Shri Rahul Gandhi said on 10 Februray.

Emphasising that the long-term plan of the party was definitely to come back to power in UP, Shri Gandhi, however, said that for the time being attention should be on strengthening the party organization.

"My personal view is that any compromise should be avoided if the Congress has to regain its position in Uttar Pradesh even if it meant staying away from power for some more time," Shri Gandhi, who was on a three-day visit to his constituency said.

To a question whether by compromises, he meant speculative tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party, Shri Rahul Gandhi said "I never said that." Declining to commit himself to the BSP ultimatum to the Centre for dismissing the UP government, he said "I do not have anything to say about what others demand."

However, the Congress MP agreed with the BSP views that the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh was in a "very bad shape."

When pressed for his comments on the law and order situation in the state, specially after the murder of a local party leader Shahabuddin Khan recently, Shri Gandhi said, "certainly the law and order situation in UP was terrible and posed a real problem for the workers who were genuinely working for the uplift of the party organization."

Shabbir Hyder, YC General Secretary

LUCKNOW: UP Youth Congress president, Shri Nadeem Asharaf Jaisi has appointed Shri Shabbir Hyder Annu as the general secretary of the organization. He has also changed the responsibilities of divisional in-charges. Shri Vijay Bahadur Singh will take charge of Mirzapur divisional Congress while Shri Pushpendra Singh will be the in-charge of Jhansi division.

CHHATTISGARH

Artificial Limbs Distributed

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee Disabled Cell distributed artificial limbs to disabled here on 20 February. Union Home Minister, Shri Shivraj Patil was the chief guest. Shri Patil, while wishing bright future to the recipients of the limbs, said that helping a disabled was a noble work and asked Congressmen to come forward for such constructive work as the Congress Party is committed to the commonman.

Pradesh president of the Cell, Shri Mahender Kochar welcomed the Home Minister. Others who were present included Shri Abdul Wahid Kureshi, Shri mahavir Malu, Shri Aakash Golcha and Shri Dilip Sinha.

Orissa Coordination Panel

The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has approved the Coordination Committee and Pradesh Election Committee for Orissa, according to AICC general secretary, Shri Janardan Dwivedi on 11 February:

Co-ordination Committee

Shri J.B. Patnaik (Chairman), Shri Jayadev Jena, Shri Hemanand Biswal, Shri Habibullah Khan, Shri Narsing Misra, Shri Niranjan Patnaik, Shri Srikant Jena, Smt. Sabitri Choudhary, Shri Chiranjib Biswal and Shri Anant Sethi.

State Election Committee

Shri Jayadev Jena (Chairman), Shri J.B. Patnaik, Shri Girdhar Gomang, Shri Srivallabh Panigrahi, Shri Lalatendu Mahapatra, Shri Jagannath Patnaik, Shri Chandra Shekhar Sahu, Shri Bhakt Charan Das, Shri K.C. Lenka, Shri Nalini Kant Mahapatra, Smt. Parma Pujari, MLA, Shri Mustafiz Ahmed and Shri Sharad Patnaik.

A state convention of four frontal organizations called for prepartions to celebrate 75th Anniversary of Dandi March. From left to right Shri Tushar Gandhi, Shri Ashok Gehlot, Shri B. K. Ghadhavi, Shri Sunil Dutt, Shri Ahmed Patel, Kumari Kumudben Joshi, Shri mukul Wasnik, Shri Bharatsinh Solanki