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AICC focus on Manmohan, Sonia, Rahul

January 15, 2014 08:15 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 08:09 pm IST - New Delhi

Setting at rest the speculation of a larger role for Priyanka Gandhi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, only the posters and cut-outs of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi are being installed within and around Talkatora Stadium, the venue of the All India Congress Committee session due to be held on Friday.

“There are no cutouts of any other leader here. All the directions have come from the All India Congress Committee where the arrangements are being primarily supervised by political secretary to the party president Ahmad Patel and general secretaries Moti Lal Vora and Janardan Dwivedi,” said a party source.

The emphasis on the big three is also being underscored by the fact that dedicated special committees have been constituted to look into their specific needs and rooms during the session.

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The Congress, according to those working on the ground at the venue, also does not want to dilute the focus from the three main leaders this time. “Even Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh Lovely has told us not to put his photograph on any of the posters depicting the images of the three big leaders. The posters around the venue would just bear the names of the office bearers in whose name they are issued.”

The party is preparing for the visit of around 3,000 party leaders, workers and media during the day-long session, which is expected to with a flag-hoisting ceremony.

“There are a dozen committees comprising a chairman, vice-chairman and convener besides about 15-20 members each which have been tasked with different jobs. So apart from the panels for the three leaders, there are committees looking after food, stage, press and media, inside decoration, outside decoration, transport, reception, flag hoisting and coordination,’’ said a party leader.

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Since in the last session there was a lot of chaos as some party workers had entered media enclosures and dining area, this time specific directions are being issued to them to refrain from such conduct.

“The food is being prepared for around 3,000 persons. A waterproof ‘pandal’ (tent) has been erected over an area of nearly 2,500 square yards and would have adequate space to cater to about 700-800 people at one go. The arrangements for both lunch and dinner are being made at the venue,” a party source said.

A new media facility, which was constructed right next to the stadium building at the time of the Commonwealth Games, would this time be available to the visiting media persons.

For the organizers, there remains just one big concern — a new glass façade which was provided to the stadium as part of its renovation for the Games. “Earlier this used to be an open area, but now due to the glass façade the number exits have got restricted. In the event of any mishap this could prove to be a major detriment in the safe evacuation of so many people,” said a party leader.

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