Expelled UP leaders launch ‘save Congress campaign’

The expelled Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders on Saturday launched ‘Congress Bachao Abhiyan’ (save Congress campaign) and decided to hold brainstorming sessions in the state’s four regions -- east, west, central and Bundelkhand.

“We will work under the banner of ‘Congress Bachao Abhiyan’ and hold the first brainstorming session (west UP region) of the Congress’ old guards at Noida in third week of December,’ said former MLA Vinod Chaudhary in a statement after a meeting of the expelled leaders.

The meeting was organised at the residence of former MP Santosh Singh here.

Chaudhary said the leaders urged the party’s seniors to take part in the campaign in large numbers.

“Some outsiders are making attempts to harm the Congress in the state by misleading the people and undermining the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Our strength is growing as more leaders are joining us,” said Chaudhary.

Besides Singh and Chaudhary, those who attended the meeting included former ministers Ram Krishna Dwivedi, Satyadev Tripathi, former MLC Siraj Mehandi and former youth wing president SP Goswami.

The leaders also condemned the expulsions from the party being made in Agra, Bareilly, Hathras and Barabanki.