Congress chief Sonia Gandhi wants party workers to pay special attention to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the mass contact programmes the Congress has launched across the country. Her directives have come at a time when the Congress is determined to improve its performance in the coming Bihar Assembly polls and return to power in Uttar Pradesh.
She is optimistic that the Right to Food Bill will pass in the coming sessions. “We are also currently debating the Right to Food Bill and hope to pass it in the coming sessions,” she said.
“The Congress party has launched a mass contact programme in the country, with special attention being paid to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” Mrs Gandhi said in her “Letter to Congress persons” in the latest issue of party mouthpiece Congress Sandesh. While Bihar goes to polls in October-November, Assembly elections in UP are scheduled for early 2012. The message that the party is not depending on the Mandalite parties (SP, BSP and RJD) has thus become loud and clear.
She said the workers of the party “must concentrate” on reaching out to the people, especially in rural and remote parts of the country, so that the Congress’ focus on the common man genuinely addresses their needs: “It is the duty of our party workers to ensure that all schemes promulgated by the UPA government at the Centre are fully implemented at the grassroots.”
Eulogising Congress workers, she said they can become the “vehicles for the success of all our social developmental programmes”. “They (party workers) must create awareness of the many rights under schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, Right to Information and the Right to Education— that have become laws,” the Congress president said. Calling upon party workers to monitor the implementation of these programmes at village and grassroots level, she said they should take the lead in exposing any loopholes that can mar the impact of these programmes.
Mrs Gandhi also echoed the sentiments of farmers who are keen for a good monsoon this year to overcome the deficit of last year.
“It is that time of the year again when all of us look forward to a good monsoon. The initial trend seems to be encouraging and we are all hoping that the rains would come not only in adequate quantity but will also come at the right time which is so much needed by our kisans (farmers),” she said in the article.
While congratulating Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA allies for completing one year in office, Congress president has said the government has worked hard to
fulfil the mandate to govern the people.
“I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and all our UPA allies for successfully completing one year in office”.
She said, “The UPA has worked hard to fulfil the strong mandate to govern it received from the people in 2009. Since then, the synergy between the government and the Congress party has enabled us to cover much ground with regard to the promises made in our election manifesto”.
Mrs Gandhi added, “We are determined” to continue with the goal of inclusive development”.
“While consistent high rates of growth are a necessity, it is only by ensuring that the largest number of people benefit from high growth will India strengthen itself internally and externally,” she added.
Noting that the government has already passed some “landmark legislation” in the past one year, sahe listed Right to Education Bill and the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
Mrs Gandhi said the government was “keenly monitoring” and implementing all the social developmental programems that were initiated in the last UPA government and listed MGNREGA and Right to Information.
“Transparency and good governance remain the defining features of our government. The states and the centre must work together to ensure that the people of the country benefit from all such social developmental schemes,” the Congress president said.