New Delhi, The ruling Congress party seems to have made up its mind to contest forthcoming Lok Sabha elections under UPA banner. A formal resolution is expected to be passed in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee beginning from September 13 here.

The issue has been discussed among senior Congress leaders informally and general view emerged during the discussion was that in order to consolidate the strength and present a united face of the ruling coalition the party should initiate discussion with other allies to put up joint candidates in all the states.

The formal talks with the allies is likely to begun after the meeting of the CWC, an apex decision making body of the party where the Congress president might constitute a small group, which would start pre-poll negotiations with other partners, said a senior party functionary.

Earlier, it was decided that a Chintin Shivar would be called ahead of the November-bound assembly polls in six states. It has now been converted into the extended meeting of the Working Committee in which besides CWC members and special invitees the chief ministers of all Congress-ruled states and presidents of all state units have also been invited.

The CWC would also review the current political scenario in the country particularly in poll-bound states and formulate a strategy. Armed with the successful culmination of the meeting of the 45-member elite Nuclear Suppliers Group at Vienna, Congress is also contemplating to make this achievement as one of its election planks. The CWC would also identify the issues, which could possibly be incorporated in its poll strategy.

However, most of the state units of the Congress are wary of the idea of contesting the Lok Sabha elections under the banner of UPA arguing that it would deprive the party of testing and expanding its strength in most of the northern states, as its allies are more powerful in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress leadership is also apprehensive of DMK's response to the proposal. A senior party leader from the Tamil Nadu says the Dravidian party might not find it suitable to jointly contest the Lok Sabha election, as it would undermine its supremacy in Tamil Nadu. Besides, in other states like Karnataka, Orissa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh party will have to accommodate UPA constituents like JD (S), SP and JMM who have a very little presence in these states. The CWC is also expected to ponder upon this issue.

EMAIL THIS NEWS COMMENTS No comments yet