Sonia to hold dialogue with Dalit leaders

Khurshid said at least one out of the three sessions of talks will be organised at Lucknow, reports Umesh Raghuvanshi.

The Congress president Sonia Gandhi would soon hold direct dialogue with deprived sections of society and the first such session of dialogue with dalit leaders, workers and institutions working for their welfare would be organised in first week of February 2007.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Salman Khurshid talking to media persons said the UPCC also proposed to hold sessions of Sonia Gandhi’s direct dialogue with backward classes and minorities.

Khurshid said at least one out of the three sessions of dialogues would be organised at Lucknow. The UPCC would send a list of three possible venues fore the three sessions, he said.

The Congress leader PL Punia said Sonia Gandhi’s direct dialogues would not be limited to Vidhan Sabha elections. Such programmes would continue even after elections, he said adding the dalits were a confused lot at present. There has been no focus on dalits after 1989 in UP, he said.

Khurshid flayed the Mulayam Singh Yadav government for what he called resorting to mean tactics while dealing with the Governor. Unfolding developments indicated that the people of the state may soon get rid of Mulayam government, he said adding the Chief Minister was speaking two different languages in respect to the Governor TV Rajeswar.

While on one hand the Chief Minister was attacking the Governor outside the Raj Bhawan he sang a different tune altogether while meeting the Governor in the Raj Bhawan. Khurshid said this had added a black spot on functioning of the Mulayam government.

Replying to a question Khurshid said the Congress did not recognise any trust that may be brought in the House without directives in this regard from the Governor.

Asked whether he would contest the Vidhan Sabha election Khurshid said as UPCC president he would contest all the 403 seats. He would however abide by the directives of the high command if asked to contest the Vidhan Sabha poll from any seat in the state, he said.
 
umeshraghuvanshi@hindustantimes.com

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