Chhattisgarh Congress prefers booth workers in corporation, commission posts

The Congress party said on Monday it will give preference to its booth workers for the important posts in corporations and commissions in Chhattisgarh.

Senior party leader and in-charge for Chhattisgarh, P. L. Punia, told IANS: "I held meetings with the party leaders, MLAs, Ministers, winning and losing Lok Sabha candidates, district corporations, state President and the district head of the party in last two days (Saturday and Sunday)."

Punia said that Congress President Rahul Gandhi, during his earlier visit to the state, had held meetings with the booth-level workers of the party and promised them posts in commissions and corporations.

"So we are implementing the same," he said.

He also said that booth workers play an important role in the victory of party candidates. 

"Earlier, the winning candidates never focused on the requirements of the booth workers. So, it will help the party in connecting with the people," he said.

He also said one Minister will sit in state party office everyday to listen to the grievances of people and party workers.

He said complaints raised at the party office will also be monitored.

Asked if the party has asked its Lok Sabha candidates to send the details of votes polled to them at every polling booth, Punia said: "Yes, the party has decided to collect the booth-wise report. The candidates have been asked to send the report by June 7 to the party headquarters."

Punia, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP said that "the exercise to collect booth-wise polling data is imporant for the party to identify the strength and weaknesses at every booth. It will also help to identify the reasons why the voters went away from the party, in which circumstances the votes shifted and was any new pattern emerging."

Asked about the structural changes in the party, he was emphatic that it is required.

"Change is required and it has been happening in the past also. During the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the resignation offer of Rahul Gandhi was rejected by the members and he has been authorised to carry out structural changes.

"The party president is working on the same and changes will be visible in coming days," he said.

The Congress could only win 52 out of 542 Lok Sabha seats in the recently concluded elections. The party, however, improved its tally by eight seats as compared to the last Lok Sabha where it had managed to win only 44 seats. IANS