The Congress under the leadership of its national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday decided to take out a 12,000 km-long yatra through villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls next year.
The decision to take out the ”Congress Pratigya Yatra:Hum Vachan Nibhayenge” was taken at a meeting Gandhi held with members of the party’s advisory and strategy committee here, the Congress said in a statement.
Priyanka had arrived here on Thursday to review the party’s preparations in the run up to the polls.
The yatra will draw attention of people to issues of corruption, inflation, crime, violence against women, unemployment and poor health services, the party said.
”The yatra will cover 12,000 km and pass through villages and towns of the state,” it said. During the yatra, Congress leaders will assure people that they will fulfil promises made by the party in the run up to the polls. Gandhi held discussions about routes and issues that will be taken up during the yatra, the party said.
”She asked workers to work hard 24 hours a day in view of the upcoming elections,” a party spokesperson said, adding that she stressed that views of the organisation will be important in ticket distribution. She also held discussions over the region-wise election strategy and sought views on possible candidates, election management and campaign programmes. She sought written reports over the organisational situation in Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, central UP and Agra regions.
She stressed on the formation of gram sabha committees by the month-end.
A senior party leader said Gandhi is likely to visit some districts to review the party’s preparations for the elections.
The Congress was reduced to seven seats in the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP had clinched 312 seats in the 403-member Legislative Assembly to form the government.