During his recent visit to state capital Mr Madhsudan Mistry incharge of UP affairs admitted in an informal discussion that whatever feedback party had from the rank and file, there was a demand for projection of suitable candidate as chief minister. He also said that majority of party workers and leaders wanted early selection of candidates.

Although present UPCC president Nirmal Khattri has a good image but he lacks fighting sprit required at the moment to rebuild the party organisation to face 2017 assembly polls.

Keeping these demands UP Congress Committee has announced that party would start the process of finding candidates and emphasis would be given to recommendations from grass root rather than forcing the candidate from above based on his or her proximity to any senior leader.

But the main problem before the party high command is to find a suitable candidate who should be projected as chief minister.

The supporters of Congress MPs PL Punia and Pramod Tewari have already already launched campaign to create atmosphere in favour of them.

The supporters of Punia demand that their leader who is holding the constitutional post of Chairman Natianal Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission would be able to wean away dalit votes from Mayawati for Congress.

On the other hand the supporters of former UPCC president Rita Bahuguna Joshi claim that their leader was the only leader in the party who was seen to be fighting with Samajwadi Party, BSP and BJP .So much so she paid the price for her fight against BSP supremo Mayawati as CM when the house where she was living, was put on fire.

While majority of Congress workers want Priyanka Gandhi to lead the campaign in UP but senior leaders are divided on the issue of Rahul Gandhi taking over as working President of the party.

All important cities of the state are full of posters from Congress workers seeking important role for Priyanka Gandhi who is considered to more aggressive and game changer than Rahul Gandhi..People still remember as to how Priyanka Gandhi through her one speech was responsible for pushing her uncle Arun Nehru who was BJP candidate to third position and ensured victory of Congress candidate Satish Sharma to Lok Sabha from prestigious Rae Bareli seat.

While senior leader like Madhusudan Mistry wants Rahul Gandhi take over as working president as soon as possible and replace old guards with young and dynamic team of leaders. veteran leaders like Dr Ammar Rizvi wants Sonia Gandhi to continue as President of the party and Rahul Gandhi should remain her deputy.

But majority of Congress workers wants leaders to connect with the masses and party workers at grass root workers and desire Sonia-Rahul-Priyanka to visit districts and build close rapport with the people.

It was observed that during recent padyatra programmes of Congress Party in various districts, people complained that party leaders were visible after two decades.

The recent panchayat polls reflect worst performance of the party at grass root elections. Congress could win only Zila Panchayat in Rae Bareili and lost in Amethi of Rahul Gandhi.

Congress Party is also facing problem whether to go all alone or have alliance with Samajwadi Party or BSP. Although these two parties have announced that they would not join hand with any other party but demoralised Congress leaders want alliance to ensure victory in assembly polls. But veteran Congress leaders like Kranti Kumar and Ram Krishna Dwivedi say that party should not have any alliance and work hard to ensure victory in assembly polls on its own.

Senior political commentator and former spokesman of Congress, Dr Ramesh Dixit said Congress high command had alienated from the party workers and the public during last two decades which was the main reason for downfall of the party in the state. He further said that party high command was treating party workers as loyal servants and people of the country as their subjects.

Dr Dixit said that during the period of Nehru Indira and Rajiv, Congress Party was party of downtrodden and ,marginalised sections of society. Now Congress was giving importance to feudal lords,rich people who had no connection with ordinary people.

Unless Congress readopts Nehruvian ideology and give importance to grass root workers and ordinary people, it would be very difficult to revive party for 2017 assembly polls. (IPA Service)