NEW DELHI: The Congress has rejected reports that there are hiccups in relations with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and has said that both the parties are having a smooth relationship and are working unitedly to focus upon the Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress has been pushing for a common minimum programme and coordination committees at the district level so that there are no conflicts. The party is trying to put up a good show in the parliamentary polls. The state has 14 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress is likely to contest nine seats. Currently, the party has only one Lok Sabha MP.
Speaking to IANS General Secretary in-charge of Jharkhand Avinash Pande said, "The Congress has started its exercise to galvanise the organisation till the booth level and is working hard to make its presence felt in social media, which has become a major tool in building public opinion. For this the party is holding programmes in all the 320 blocks in 24 districts of the state."
Pande assumed charge two months ago and has appointed district in-charges, which includes former Chief Minister and former minister, frontal organisations to prepare for the Lok Sabha polls. He said the feedback will be important for deciding the candidate from a particular constituency.
In the next step, the party will go to all the 30,000 booths in the state, but as rural body elections are going on so it will start after the elections are over. The party is focusing on social media groups, and 27,000 active members have been involved in the exercise, including workers from the frontal organisation.
The party will start training programmes from July first which will be at the Pradesh Congress Committee level, then at the district level followed by the booth and block level.
The Congress has a coalition government in the state with four ministers from the party.
The party is evaluating the performance of the ministers and contemplating a rejig to draft more experienced hands in the elections. Pande said that there was a 'performance review' being done, but on the question whether ministers will be changed, he said, "When the decision will be taken it will be known to all".