Seeking revival in UP, Congress dissolves all district committees

New Delhi:  The Congress on Monday dissolved all its district committees in Uttar Pradesh following the party’s dismal performance in Lok Sabha elections in the state and decided to set up a three-member panel to look into complaints of gross indiscipline during the election.

IANS had on June 20 reported that the Congress was considering dissolution of its district committees in Uttar Pradesh.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the party won just one seat — Rae Bareli represented by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi — out of the total 80 seats in the state.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi lost the family stronghold of Amethi to Union Minister and BJP candidate Smriti Irani by a margin of 55,000 votes.

Congress General Secretary K.C.Venugopal said the action was taken based on proposals given by general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, who were in-charge of eastern and western Uttar Pradesh respectively.

The party has appointed a two-member committee for each Assembly seat going into bypolls in the state. Leader of the Congress in the Assembly Ajay Kumar Lallu has been appointed in-charge of the organisational reshuffle, said an order issued by Venugopal.

The order also said the party will form a three-member disciplinary committee to examine complaints of indiscipline in the party during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

It also said that Scindia will announce the name of the person who will be in charge of making organisational changes in UP West. The party had on June 19 dissolved the Karnataka Congress Committee.

Following the party’s rout in the state, the western Uttar Pradesh in-charges held meetings with the party candidates and workers in the national capital and in Lucknow on June 10 and 14.

Priyanka Gandhi during her visit to the Rae Bareli along with her mother to thank the voter has came down heavily on the party workers for not working hard to ensure party candidates’ victory.

Priyanka Gandhi said she would review the party as well as the leaders’ performance. She had also said she would meet people twice a week in the state.

In a bid to revive the party, Priyanka Gandhi had met over 500 party workers and leaders in the last two weeks at the residence of his brother. The three Congress secretaries had also submitted their report to Priyanka Gandhi over the party’s rout in the eastern UP on Friday.

Priyanka Gandhi, elevated as the party General Secretary on January 23 and given charge of 41 Lok Sabha seats in eastern UP, campaigned extensively in 26 constituencies during the general elections.

Scindia was made in-charge of 39 parliamentary seats. Party leaders said that the Congress is trying to seek revival in Uttar Prasdesh, where it has been out of power since 1988. During the Lok Sabha campaigning Priyanka Gandhi has asked the party workers to start preparations for the 2022 Assembly elections.

Updated on: June 24, 2019 at 21:22 IST | Published on: June 24, 2019 at 16:00 IST

IANS