Cong to put up strong fight in Assembly polls

New Delhi, Oct 14 (UNI) Expressing confidence that the Congress would put up a strong fight in the coming Assembly polls in Delhi, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Jai Prakash Agarwal today said the party would retain power in the state for a third consecutive term.

Addressing a press conference here after the Election Commission announced holding of elections for Delhi Legislative Assembly on November 29, Mr Jai Prakash Agarwal today said the Congress was fully prepared to face Assembly polls in Delhi.

'We are in a strong position in Delhi. Under the Chief Ministership of Ms Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Government has changed the face of the state in the last ten years.

The Congress Government's progressive policies have benefitted all communities and all categories of people, which should stand the party in good stead in the Assembly elections,''Mr Agarwal said.

On the other hand, he said, the Bharatiya Janata Party was in a weak state in Delhi.

''The BJP in Delhi is a divided lot. Moreover, they are trying to cash in on issues like price rise for political benefits without really being concerned about its impact on the common man.

Further, their Chief Ministerial candidate is not one who can take along the youth and the 18 year olds along with him. Also, his popularity is limited to his own constituency,'' Mr Agarwal said.

Expressing confidence that the Congress would perform well in the elections on the basis of its good Governance, Mr Agarwal said the party would fight elections on issues like regularisation of unauthorised colonies, providing low cost houses to the poor, transparency in working of the Government and administration, developmental work by the Government and the Ladli scheme.

Mr Agarwal said the Congress party was in the process of finalising party candidaters for the Assembly polls and names would be declared by October end. He said effort would be made to give representation to various castes, committees and religion while selecting candidates.

He said more women could be given tickets this time compared to the last polls where 12 women were given tickets.

Asked whether the party was not satisfied with the performance of any of the the sitting MLAs, Mr Agarwal said,''I feel that all the MLAs have done good work. The rest is for the party election committees to decide.'' He said the party was open to giving tickets to MCD councillors.

"Infact, I was a councillor myself when I was given a ticket to fight assembly polls," Mr Agarwal said.

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