UP situation same even after change of guard: Cong

Months after cosying up with the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party to get its support during the July Presidential elections, the Congress says the situation in Uttar Pradesh remained more or less same even after the change of guard in the state.

"Congress will have to adopt a more aggressive posture and effectively apprise the people about the various welfare schemes launched by the Centre and at the same time draw attention to the state of affairs which have remained more or less the same even after change of guard in the state," newly-appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Rita Bahuguna Joshi said in Lucknow on Tuesday.

"There had been no substantive relief for the people and like before, Congress will continue to play the role of a responsible opposition drawing attention to the shortcomings of the government," Bahaguna said.

Amid talk of possible mid-term poll, Bahuguna also said, "the process to select the best candidate for the next Lok Sabha elections would be expedited and party workers all over the state would be activated soon."

Joshi, who has been handed the charge of the state after the Congress faced a near drubbing at the recent Assembly elections, has to revitalise the party cadres.

"Though Congress had raised its voice against the misrule of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government and had created an atmosphere against it, the fruits of its struggle were cornered by BSP due to rampant casteist politics in the state," she said.

Faced with the uphill task of uniting and activating party cadres, Joshi hopes for a bigger role for party MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka, who till now has confined herself to Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies.

"We need acceptable and known faces like Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi which would attract people towards the party and make a lasting impact," she said.

Aware of factionalism in the party's state unit, Joshi hoped that her clean image would help her get the cooperation of all leaders in the state. "All the leaders would be taken along and I am confident that in the wider interest of the party we will overcome personal problems, if any," she said.