Congress to hold ‘Brahman Samagam’ in each UP district

BAREILLY: After fielding Sheila Dikshit as UP chief minister candidate, Congress now plans to hold "Brahman Samagam" in each district in the run-up to the 2017 polls. Beginning on September 2 in Allahabad, the party will ensure that the events are attended by more than 20,000 brahmans in each district. The party also proposes to field 100 brahman candidates in the polls.
The decisions to the effect were taken at a meeting attended by political strategist and advisor to Congress Prashant Kishor — who is also known as PK, senior party leaders and brahman party workers from across UP in Lucknow on Sunday.
“During the meeting, it was decided that party will organize "Brahman Samagam" (bringing brahmans together at a common platform) in each districts of the state to lure upper caste members. The influential brahmans in each district will be felicitated and they will be informed that except Congress, other parties have used them as vote bank and have done nothing for the community,” said a senior party leader who attended the meeting.
Brahmans alone constitute around 11 per cent of the electorate in UP.
“Even brahmans supporting other parties will be invited during this event. They will be told that no other party has projected a brahman candidate as their CM face. All other parties want to gain from brahmans but do not want to give them anything in return,” said the party leader.
All the districts will organize the event till October 15 where senior brahman leaders, including Sheila Dikshit, Pramod Tiwari and Janardhan Dwivedi, are expected to take part.
Sources said the party has also decided to give 100 tickets to brahman candidates in the state.
When contacted, former Union minister and Congress leader Jitin Prasada said, “The party is reaching out to all castes and Brahmins are our priority. A demand has been made for giving 90-100 tickets out of 403 seats to brahman candidates and it is actively under consideration. Brahmans will be given a better share.”
Hitting out at BJP, Prasada said, “If BJP is concerned about brahmans, why don’t they project a brahman candidate as their CM face for UP assembly elections. How many tickets have they given to brahmans or how many brahmans are holding portfolios in the ministry.”
Bareilly district president of Congress Ramdev Pandey said, “Congress has given respect to brahmans by making Sheila Dikshit its CM face and it is the turn of the community to vote for the party for their betterment.”