Congress plans minority conferences

The Congress is going all out to woo different communities in UP. As part of its strategy, the party is planning minority conferences at six places across the state in the next two months.

The Congress is going all out to woo different communities in UP. As part of its strategy, the party is planning minority conferences at six places across the state in the next two months.

HT Image

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is likely to take part in few of these conferences to be held in Moradabad, Lucknow, Varanasi, Meerut, Banda and Domariaganj. Many senior central and state Congress leaders will address these conventions.

According to some estimates, Muslims form the largest minority community in Uttar Pradesh, with a population of around 19%. There are 20 districts in the state that have more than 20% Muslim concentration.

Out of power since 1989, the Congress is desperately seeking to regain its lost political ground in the country’s most populous and fourth largest state, in terms of area. The party is banking on Muslim support to see a revival of its political fortunes in the state.

Congress sources say the party’s partial comeback in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, when it won 22 seats, was largely due to the Muslim support.

On the same pattern, the party is planning conferences for backward classes and SC/ST in the state in November and December. A Congress Sampark (contact) cell has been set up for all the 10 zones.