New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday met Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh to review the party’s preparations for the assembly elections and add momentum to its campaign.
This comes in the wake of efforts by other parties to rally against the central government’s decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.
Sources said Gandhi told party leaders to focus on the scandals facing the Mayawati government as election was being fought on local issues.
They said Gandhi told the union ministers from Uttar Pradesh to devote more time to boost the party’s campaign.
The sources said that leaders from the state were told not to get unnecessarily bogged down with the opposition induced debate on FDI and raise issues concerning people in their campaign.
The meeting of party leaders from Uttar Pradesh came in the midst of a stalemate in parliament over decision on FDI which is being opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Left, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and some allies of the Congress.
Congress MP Raj Babbar said after the meeting that FDI was not an issue in Uttar Pradesh but the opposition was trying to bring it to focus. The meeting was attended by party leaders including union ministers from Uttar Pradesh and MPs.
Gandhi is leading the party’s poll effort in the state.
