Raebareli: Priyanka Gandhi to attend workshop over UP strategy

The newly formed Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee is holding a three-day brainstorming and training session in Raebareli beginning Tuesday.

The party's UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will attend the workshop being organised at Bhuemau Guest House which is the residence of Sonia Gandhi, according to an official Congress release.

The closed door meeting will devise strategy and facilitate sharing of ideas to take on the ruling BJP government. The party's training session is first of its kind exercise where the party's training department will explain the Congress view on various issues.

The party has set up a policy department to devise a strategy in the state to counter mainly the BJP. The party had taken up Sonbhadra agitation earlier this year with Priyanka Gandhi herself going to the ground zero. At least 10 villagers were killed over a land dispute in Sonbhadra in July.

The party also took up the Unnao case involving former BJP leader Chinmayanand in a harassment case.

But due to weak organisation, the party could not sustain these agitations for long.

Ahead of three-day session in Raebareli, Priyanka Gandhi met the advisory body of the state party on Monday in Delhi. She discussed the steps to be taken to strengthen the party.

A party leader said the training session was worth the effort, but the party would have to offer an alternate narrative to counter the BJP. The leader who is in the Congress for 30 years said those who are giving training must know how to survive when there is no party government in the state since 1989.

The newly formed committee and the district Congress committee have been given representation from all walks of life. The party has appointed Ajay Kumar Lalu, a backward caste leader, as the head the state unit. The party has appointed 47 district presidents and 4 city presidents. The Sonbhadra Congress Committee will be led by a tribal.

( With inputs from IANS )