Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 13 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday said the Congress had deep roots in Uttar Pradesh, expressing enthusiasm about interacting with party leaders and workers at a meeting focused on preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.
Speaking to ANI, “In UP, the Congress’s roots are right here. So coming here always feels good. It will be wonderful to speak and interact with everyone in this meeting, and there will be a lot to learn.”
The Congress is holding a meeting under its ‘Sangathan Samvad Sankalp Mission 2027’ to prepare its organisation and election strategy.
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ said the workshop for district and city units, frontal organisations, cells and departments would focus on four areas: legal matters related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), social media, media and the party’s war room.
“Today, we are holding a workshop for our district and city units, as well as our various frontal organisations, cells, and departments. We have structured this workshop around four key areas: legal matters, social media, media, and our ‘war room’. This preparation is aimed at the 2027 elections, ensuring that our ‘INDIA alliance’ can contest with even greater strength and resolve.”
Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said 134 district and city presidents, along with representatives of frontal organisations and departments, were participating in the workshop to prepare a campaign strategy covering every village in the state.
“Basically, this is a workshop in which there are 134 district and city presidents, along with all frontal organisations and departments. With them, we will prepare a complete strategy to take Uttar Pradesh’s campaign to every single village. In this, the President, Aradhana Mona Mishra, is also present; our CLP leader Chaudhary ji is also here; our AICC Secretaries are here; our Senior Vice Presidents Alok and Nishad are here, and many other people,” Gautam said.
He said separate workshops for spokespersons and legal teams would help prepare a roadmap to take the party’s ideology, alliance agenda and public issues to villages.
“And then in separate workshops, the spokespersons’ workshop is separate, the legal workshop is separate, an entire roadmap will be designed. And on a war footing, we will take our organization’s and our alliance’s ideology, our issues, and the public issues for the manifesto we are preparing to every single village. All of these matters will be discussed,” he said.
On the formation of the Samajik Parivartan Morcha by leaders including Chandrashekhar Azad and Asaduddin Owaisi, Gautam said, “In India’s democracy, the Constitution permits all organisations and all political parties to contest elections. Now, whoever wants to form an alliance with whomever, let them do so. That is their personal matter; the Congress party have nothing to do with it.”
Asked about the invitation to the Congress and Samajwadi Party to join the new front, he said the INDIA alliance partners would remain united.
“No problem, let them extend the invitation; it is for us to decide what we have to do. Our INDIA alliance already exists, and the partners who are in our INDIA alliance will stand united in this election, and in the interest of the public, we are going to uproot and throw out this dictatorial government,” he said.
Gautam also rejected reports that the Congress had submitted a list of 130 Assembly constituencies to the Samajwadi Party.
“Who is saying that? It is a lie.”
Congress MP Imran Masood said the party would decide on the best way to contest.
“We are preparing, we are working on it. In whatever best way the election can be fought, we will do that," Masood said.
Reacting to the Enforcement Directorate remand of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, Masood said, “It is the truth. An injustice is certainly being done to poor Azam Sahab.”
On the new political front’s invitation to the Congress and Samajwadi Party, Masood questioned the strength of the parties involved.
“Two parties with two MPs. And whom are they inviting? So, don’t act in haste right now; you should have waited. Why are you in such a hurry? There are 403 seats,” he said.
Responding to questions about his remarks on the demolition of mosques, Masood said such demolitions were already taking place and referred to the demolition of a mosque in Saharanpur.
“Mosques are being demolished. It’s not that the BJP will come; the BJP is already here. Whatever the BJP is doing across the country and the state, whether with Dalits or with backward classes, running bulldozers over houses, demolishing homes. They did demolish the mosque, didn’t they! Despite having all the documents, they demolished the mosque in Saharanpur,” he alleged.
On the BJP’s remarks about a decline in Hindu voters during the SIR exercise, Masood questioned whether the revision was intended to delete their names.
“Well, let the BJP answer for itself! They are the ones who got it done. Did you get the SIR conducted to get Hindu voters’ names deleted?” he said.
Congress MP from Barabanki Tanuj Punia said district and city presidents, along with state presidents of frontal organisations, had been invited to discuss election issues and ways to take the party’s message to the people.
“Look, today a one-day training camp is being held here. Through this, the bugle for the 2027 elections is formally being sounded here. In the organisation, all district presidents and city presidents have been invited here. The state presidents of the frontal organisations have also been called. Four departments will come here and provide their training, how to approach the upcoming elections, what the issues should be, and how we have to take our message to the ground, all these matters will be discussed.” (ANI)
"Congress has deep roots in Uttar Pradesh": says Pawan Khera as party holds strategy meeting for 2027 assembly polls
