UP Congress set for major rejig

Uttar Pradesh Congress is all set for a major rejig following the grand old party's dismal performance in the state in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources in the state Congress, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who also was the in-charge of the party in the state, had hinted at a "complete overhaul" of the state unit in the days to come.

Sources also said that Priyanka, who held a meeting with state party leaders in Delhi on Monday, confided that senior leaders of the state Congress were "responsible" for the party's dismal performance in the LS polls.

Priyanka, who has taken upon herself to revive the grand old party in the state, also hinted at promoting young and new faces in the organisation.

Sources also said that Priyanka was in favour of roping in strong leaders from different castes and communities and appoint them on organisational posts.

Congress leadership had dissolved all the district units in the state after the LS polls and entrusted Ajai Singh Lalloo with the task of restructuring the party in the state.

Sources said that Priyanka had told the state leaders that the party would be contesting the bypolls to 12 Assembly seats in the state and had asked them to start preparing for the same.

"Every seat, where a bypoll is slated, will have an in-charge, who will gather feedback from the booth level workers on the candidates from that seat and submit his report to Priyanka," said a UP Congress leader here.

The Congress could win the lone Lok Sabha seat of Raebareli in the state in the general elections. Even outgoing Congress president Rahul Gandhi also lost in the party bastion of Amethi despite Priyanka's extensive campaign there.