Priyanka tells Cong workers to steer clear of groupism

Priyanka Gandhi during an election campaign in Raebareli. File photo

Hitting the campaign trail in party citadels Amethi and Rae Bareli, star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi on Monday told Congress workers to bury internal differences for the success of the party while making it clear that groupism would not be tolerated.

To keep a watch on groupism, flying squad teams would be constituted at village-levels which would be known by a secret code, she said commencing her three-day tour of the two Lok Sabha constituencies.

Ms. Gandhi exhorted party workers to dedicate themselves in ensuring the victory of the party nominees in all the assembly seats falling in Amethi and Rae Bareli represented by her brother Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi respectively.

She asked party workers to bury internal differences and work for success of the party and Mr. Rahul Gandhi's ‘Mission 2012,' Congress sources said.

“Time is very short, party workers should reach people in villages and inform the electorate about welfare schemes of the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance government and muster support for party candidates,” she said. The party activists should not indulge in groupism and instead strengthen the hands of Mr. Gandhi, she said.

When some Congress workers alleged that the party candidate from Tiloi, Doctor Muslim, was ignoring them, Ms. Gandhi said it was the responsibility of the candidate to work with all and added she would keep a watch on this.

Power, water woes

On the problems of power and water, she said for this, the party's government was needed in Uttar Pradesh.

The time for this had come, Ms. Gandhi said.

She met party workers and candidates of all the assembly segments individually and announced Mohammad Naeem as the Congress candidate from the Gauriganj seat.

She also changed the party nominee, a sitting MLA, on his request from the Jagdishpur seat.

As octogenarian Ram Sewak Dhobi sought ticket for his grandson because of his ailing health, Ms. Gandhi said Radhey Shyam Kannaujia would be the Congress nominee from Jagdishpur, the party sources said.