MPCC to test strength in local bodies polls before going alone

Mumbai, Feb 21 (PTI) Maharashtra Pradesh CongressCommittee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre today stressed theneed to approach the upcoming elections to local bodies andmunicipal corporations as a precursor to going alone in thefuture.

Addressing a meeting of District Congress CommitteeChiefs (DCC), Thakre said grassroot workers and leaders shouldbegin preparations to face the electorate in 27 zilla parishadand 10 municipal corporations including Mumbai slated to beheld between September this year and March 2012.

According to him, if the party wins many Zilla Parishadsand corporations and strengthens itself, Congress would be ina position to contest the assembly elections on its own.

"We have to work hard to ensure that our party is ableto fight the elections on our own," he added.

AICC secretary Mohan Prakash said the state unit needsto galvanise itself in assembly constituencies held by theNCP, BJP and Shiv Sena.

Thakre said the Youth Congress membership drive hadconcluded last week enrolling 19.5 lakh members.

He also said the "Jan jagran abhiyaan" will berevived in a big way to connect with the masses.

Sources said DCC presidents complained about CongressMinisters not devoting adequate time to the organisationalactivities. Mohan Prakash said directives would be issued toMinisters in this regard, Sources added.