RANCHI: The state Congress unit on Tuesday decided to hold a three-day chintan-shivir (conclave) to deliberate on ways to strengthen its connect with the masses and to maintain smooth coordination with the ruling coalition partners, mainly JMM.
A decision in this regard was taken after a meeting with AICC leader Rahul Gandhi at his Delhi and Congress MLAs along with state party leaders on Tuesday. The conclave, which is tentatively scheduled at Netarhat from February 17, will ensure coordination with the alliance partners to fulfil the promises made to the voters during the 2019 assembly election.
The meeting with Rahul, a first with all MLAs of the party since the formation of coalition government two years ago, went on for one and half hours. Many of the MLAs aired their concerns and suggestions to Rahul, who gave a patient hearing, party sources said.
Talking to TOI, state party president Rajesh Thakur said the meeting was highly productive and they were given several tasks to strengthen the Congress party in Jharkhand. “Only through a mass connect, we can strengthen our party. This can happen when we can help people at the grassroots through government welfare schemes meant for them. We discussed ways to achieve these targets,” Thakur said, adding that discussions were also held on prioritizing the common minimum programme of the government so that promises made in the manifesto can be fulfilled.
Notably, Congress promised 27% reservation to OBCs in its manifesto and the joint manifesto with JMM and RJD. It also promised to work towards providing recognition to Jharkhand ‘andolankaris’, resolve land-related issues and work for the displaced people among others.
Tuesday’s meeting assumes importance as all MLAs and party workers were summoned together for the first time. The development came in light of former Jharkhand affairs in-charge RPN Singh’s exit last month. Singh had joined BJP ahead of the UP polls. Mandar MLA and the party’s co-working president, Bandhu Tirkey, said he apprised Gandhi on various issues concerning the tribals in the state and put stress on having a holistic state employment policy to provide jobs on priority to douse the resentment among the youths and the Adivasis.
