Cong to go it alone in UP Assembly polls: Gehlot

New Delhi, June 30(UNI) The Congress will contest the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on its own strength, AICC General Secretary incharge of the State, Ashok Gehlot, said today.

"The party has begun preparations for the Assembly polls,likely to be held in February or March next year,on the assumption that it would go it alone in the elections," Mr Gehlot told UNI here.

However, the Congress would be prepared to talk to any party approaching it for a tie-up, Mr Gehlot said, indicating by implication that the party had kept its options open to consider any offer of an alliance.

Mr Gehlot said the Pradesh Congress Committee(PCC)and District Congress Committees in Uttar Pradesh would be constituted very shortly with priority to be given to youths in representation.

He indicated that new faces, including youths and student leaders, would be given the chance to contest the Assembly elections rather than repeating the old faces who have lost elections earlier.

Mr Gehlot ruled out any change of leadership in the State Congress unit ahead of the Assembly elections. He justified appointment of 8 zonal heads saying extraordinary situation in the Sta te called for extraordinary measure.

The appointment of zonal heads had not diluted the authority of State Congress President Salman Khurshid, he said, stating that the zonal incharges were giving feedback about the party's standing in diffeent zones to the Congress High Command."The Congress has to work towards the revival of the party in the State.

The AICC General Secretary said the Congress would launch a state wide dharna against the Mulayam Singh Government in the State on July 5 protesting deteriorating law and order situation and non-availablility of electricity and water to the common man.Dharnas would be staged in all the district headquarters.

Mr Gehlot charged that the Mulayam Singh Yadav Govenment was on its way out and that was why it was resorting to antics of doling out Rs 500 as scholarship to RSS men who were jailed during the Emergency.This had exposed his links with the RSS.

The Chief Minister was also giving Rs 500 each to youths,but this would be counter productive as youths would not be satisfied with this,he added.

Mr Yadav,he said, was hobnobbing with Mr George Fernandes to maintain through him contact with the BJP.

The former Chief Minister of Rajasthan accused Mr Mulayam Singh of promoting"corporate socialism", saying corporate houses held sway over the Samajwadi Party.

UNI YS RP GC1803