LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday held marathon meetings with party office-bearers here and said their views will be crucial in the distribution of tickets for next year's Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
Exhorting partymen to work round the clock for the polls, Gandhi said a strong Congress organisation is equally important for nation building. The party also told prospective candidates to submit applications by September 26, a party leader said.
On a visit to the state to review the poll preparations, Gandhi held meetings with Congress leaders and office-bearers, taking reports from districts and city presidents, state secretaries, general secretary and state vice-presidents, a party spokesperson said.
Gandhi also held zone-wise meetings with office-bearers, the spokesperson said, adding that brainstorming sessions up to the block, wards and panchayat level were held to map out the election strategy.
Gandhi said a strong organisation is equally important for nation building, the spokesperson said, adding she also took feedback from the office-bearers on all important issues ahead of the upcoming elections.
Gandhi, who has been working towards strengthening the party to make it election ready, stressed on the importance of a strong organisation, the party spokesperson said.
As the elections to the Uttar Pradesh assembly are very near, Congress party workers need to work day and night, she told partymen.
On the issue of ticket distribution, she said office-bearers of the organisation will play an important role in deciding the names of candidates for the next year's elections, according to the spokesperson. The Congress leader said the organisational work is at the last stage.
Gandhi had arrived here on Thursday evening and is scheduled to visit Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituency of her mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, for two days beginning Sunday during which she will hold meetings with party workers, leaders and people.
During the zone-wise review meeting with party leaders earlier on Saturday, the Congress leader discussed several issues, including the farmers' protest over the three agriculture laws.
In a statement, the party said deliberations were held on the poll strategy for western UP and Gandhi sought reports from every village. The farmers' protest over the three agriculture laws also came up for discussions, the statement said.
Thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states had gathered at Muzaffarnagar on Sunday for a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat', months ahead of the crucial UP assembly polls.
The event was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) at the Government Inter College ground in Muzaffarnagar to protest the Centre's three farm laws.
On Friday, the Congress decided to take out a 12,000 km-long yatra through villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls.
The decision to take out the yatra was taken at a meeting presided over by Gandhi and attended by members of the party's advisory and strategy committee.
The yatra will draw attention of people to issues of corruption, inflation, crime, violence against women, unemployment and poor health services, the party said on Friday.