Congress Gears Up For First Phase of LS Polls; Focus on Micro Management at Booth Level

The Congress party is focusing on micro management at booth level, remaining alert during the polling process and keeping an eye on any malpractices. The party has set up central and state level control rooms to monitor the crucial Lok Sabha phase 1 polling.

New Delhi:A day ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha phase 1 polling, the Congress managers reviewed the party’s strategy for micro-managing the voting process. As many as 102/543 seats across 21 states will go to polls on Friday. The results for all 543 seats will be out on June 4.

The Congress managers hope the momentum gained in the 8 phase 1 seats in western Uttar Pradesh will be carried forward across the remaining 72 seats over the coming phases and benefit the grand old party’s alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

“We have reviewed the strategy for the polling day and have issued instructions to the booth-level teams to ensure maximum voting and keep an eye on any malpractices that may happen,” AICC general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told ETV Bharat.

“I have been discussing the booth-level management with local teams over the past one month. I have also toured the eight constituencies going to polls in phase 1 and have asked our local workers to coordinate with the Samajwadi Party teams at the booth level. This coordination will ensure a heavy and smooth polling. We have trained the workers to keep an eye on identification of voters and the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines. The state level control room in Lucknow will monitor the polling process and will keep in touch with our candidates as well as the national control room. During the tour I sensed public support for the alliance but it is very important that it translates into votes,” he said.

Another big alliance state is Maharashtra where Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP-SP are fighting the polls together. Out of total 48 seats in Maharashtra, the Congress share is 17 seats. The grand old party is contesting all the five seats that will have polling on April 19.

“Proper instructions to booth agents and teams have been issued to remain vigilant during the entire polling process on Friday. Though we are contesting all the five seats, our allies are also cooperating on the ground. We will be monitoring the process,” AICC secretary in charge of Maharashtra Ashish Dua told ETV Bharat.

In the northeast, all two seats in Arunachal Pradesh, all two seats in Manipur, and one seat each in Nagaland and Meghalaya will go to polls on April 19 along with one seat in Tripura and 5/14 seats in Assam.

According to party insiders, over the past months local booth level teams were formed and trained to deal with the polling day stress in the difficult hilly terrain of the north-east region. These teams have been spending time with the voters and will mobilize them on Friday to ensure a decent polling percentage is reached.

“Our booth teams are ready for the polling day. Tripura is known for political violence but we are ready. Over the past weeks we have been spending time with the locals who support the Congress but we have to be alert and ensure that peaceful polling takes place,” AICC in charge of Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur Girish Chodankar told ETV Bharat.

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