Cong to appoint 70K booth-level agents to reach out to voters

Bengaluru, Jul 22: Close on the heels of the BJP launching the Vistaarak programme, the state Congress on Friday came out with an elaborate plan to strengthen the party at the booth-level in the run-up to the next Assembly elections.

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has decided to appoint 70,000 booth-level agents covering all the 224 Assembly constituencies in order to spread the party’s message. The agents will not only educate people on the achievements of the party government in the state, but also give feedback to the party on what people think about their elected representatives. The party has put a KPCC vice-president and two general secretaries in charge of each of the 30 districts and they have been tasked with the responsibility of appointing the booth-level agents.

The Congress’ effort is aimed at countering the BJP, which recently launched the Vistaarak programme, wherein the party workers will directly interact with people at booth-level. The Vistaarak programme is said to have yielded good results for the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh, where it registered a thumping victory in the Assembly polls a few months ago.

Briefing reporters after attending the first meeting of the newly appointed KPCC office-bearers, state Congress president G Parameshwara said booth-level agents will be appointed by August-end.

The agents will visit every household and interact with people. The first round of door-to-door interaction will be completed by the end of September. The booth-level agents will commence the second round of interaction in December this year.

The party will also organise a padayatra in all the Assembly constituencies with the slogan “Congress nadige marali janara kadege” in October and November, he added.

This apart, the party will organise public rallies across the state to mark the birth centenary of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will attend a rally scheduled to be held on August 4 at Raichur.

The office-bearers’ meeting was chaired by AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and many senior Congress leaders, including former Union minister Oscar Fernandes, attended the meeting.

No early polls: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the KPCC office-bearers that the Assembly elections will not be advanced, as claimed by the Opposition parties. The elections will be held either in March or April next year. They will not be advanced. The BJP leaders are trying to create confusion as they have become jittery, he said.

The saffron party leaders have not been able to find fault with the government, which has fulfilled all the promises made to the people in the past four years. The BJP did nothing during its rule in the state. Now, it is staging a drama by visiting Dalit homes. The newly appointed office-bearers should counter the BJP by educating people about the achievements of his government, Siddaramaiah said.