No one to be uprooted from homes or divested of livelihood: Aggarwal

New Delhi, Sep 13 (UNI) The new Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Jai Prakash Aggarwal today said the Congress party was not in favour of uprooting people from their homes or divesting them of their livelihood in the march towards modernisation.

''We are not in favour of uprooting anyone from their homes or divesting them of their livelihood, be it the traders, people living in unauthorised colonies or residents of villages. It is these people who have, over the years, helped in the process of developing Delhi,'' Mr Aggarwal said immediately after taking oath as President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress committee at a function at the DPCC headquarters here.

Speaking at the function, amid presence of many prominent leaders of the Congress party, including AICC General Secretary and party in-charge of Delhi Affairs Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, former DPCC President Ram Babu Sharma, Congress MPS from Delhi Ajay Maken, Jagdish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar and Kapil Sibal, several central leaders of the party, Ministers of Delhi Government, Municipal Councillors, DPCC office bearers and a large number of Congress workers, Mr Agarwal said in his new post strengthening the organisational units and ensuring a win for the party in the next assembly polls would be among his foremost priorities.

''Congress has its government at the Centre as well as Delhi state. As members of the party, it is our responsibility to apprise the public of the good work done by the party at both the central and the state level so as to help the party come to power in Delhi for a third consecutive term,''Mr Aggarwal said.

Mr Aggarwal said his first and foremost priority would be to make the party units in Delhi functional and run it well as only by doing so will the party be able to approach the coming assembly election from a strong position.

''For example, only if the organisation is strong, Government will be better equipped to go before the public in the polls,'' he said.

Denying that there was any conflict between the party organisation and the government, Mr Aggarwal said,''both (the party organisation and the government) have their role to play in governance. While providing basic amenities like water and power is the Government's job, the party organisations' job is to feel the pulse of public opinion and bring to the Government's notice any grievances of the public on various issues.'' Speaking on the occasion, AICC General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said from now on the endeavour of all party workers should be to take before the people the party's achievements.

He said the party would continue to utilise the services of former DPCC president Rambabu Sharma in efforts for strengthening the party.

''Together, we will make efforts to make the party triumphant in the next assembly polls,''Mr Gehlot said.

A Congress leader from the Grassroot levels, Mr J P Aggarwal has represented the Chandni Chowk Parliamentary constituency.

UNI