Congress promises a change in Mizoram

Aizawl, Aug 29 (UNI) The Congress party has spelled a bagful of promises of development if the party was voted to power in the Assembly elections, scheduled to be held at year-end.

Visiting Union minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandez said here yesterday that ''the people want to see a change.'' Mr Fernadez and two other central Congress leaders, Vyarlar Ravi (minister of overseas Indian Affairs&Parliamentary Affairs) and AICC general secretary NE incharge Margaret Alva were currently camping in Aizawl to warm up the party for the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Ms Alva said the Congress was warming up for the coming state elections.

''The Congress party has been in the opposition for the past ten years, and you see the situation Mizoram is in. You are facing elections in the next two to three months, I hope that the Congress is voted back to power,'' Ms Alva said.

The Congress was working on election manifestoes which would be announced by the second half of September, Ms Alva added.

The Congress leader also expressed that the Centre was unhappy with the way the Zoramthanga government had spent the Baffacos (Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat Scheme) and the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme.

''Despite that the Centre had pumped in crores of rupees, the people are still facing food shortage. It looks as though not a single rupee has reached the rural areas,'' she regretted.

Pradesh Congress chief Lal Thanhawla said the people were crying for a change. ''A change will take place. A change will come for the youths, the farmers and all sections of the people,'' he added.

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