Thaindian News

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The Congress has stepped up preparations for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections by drawing up plans for tours of central ministers holding portfolios dealing with social sector.
Congress sources said that plans were being worked out for visits by 22 union ministers dealing with various development programmes of the central government.

With the assembly polls expected to be fought on the development agenda, the party is keen to get credit for central schemes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee.

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said the party’s preparations in the state had picked up and it was getting enthusiastic response from people.

“People are against the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) and the Lalu Prasad alliance (Rashtriya Janata Dal-Lok Janshakti Party). They are looking for a third alternative and pinning their hopes on the Congress,” Ahmed told IANS.

The central ministers expected to visit the state this month include C.P. Joshi (rural development and panchayati raj) and Ghulam Nabi Azad (health and family welfare).

Party sources said the ministers of state slated to visit Bihar this month include Sachin Pilot (communications and IT), Jyotiraditya Scindia (commerce and industry) and R.P.N. Singh (road transport and highways).

Ministers of state (independent charge) Sriprakash Jaiswal (coal) and Salman Khurshid (minority affairs) are also scheduled to visit the state.

The Congress is contesting the assembly polls, slated to be held in October-November this year, on its own.

The party made top level changes in the state last month by appointing Congress secretary Mehboob Ali Kaiser the new state chief and union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik the new party in-charge.

The party has sent observers to all the districts to get an assessment of its strengths and weakness in various constituencies.