Cong toll free number for workers brims with ideas to win elections
Monday, 11/07/2016
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
OVER 5,000 CALLS IN 3 MONTHS WITH DRUGS, FARMERS’LOANS, INDUSTRIES’ CONCERNS, EMPLOYMENT LISTED BY PARTY PEOPLE
LUDHIANA: A toll free phone number announced by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi three months ago for party workers has created a buzz with 5,456 phone calls from across the state, mostly concerned with farm loan waiver and tax holidays for industries.
Rahul, during a meeting at Zirakpur in April this year, had announced a toll free number asking the party men to call and list the issue they want to include in either manifesto or be raised during the election rallies.
Out of the total 5,456 suggestions received on the toll free number, 1,383 were related to campaigning of the party, 1,543 to manifesto, 1,039 callers wanted to meet Captain Amarinder Singh, 887 wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi, while 604 were party related suggestions.
Interestingly, party workers wanting to meet Amarinder Singh were more than those wanting to meet Rahul Gandhi.
A majority of the callers asked the party to include farm loan waiver in the manifesto that has become a sensitive issue in the state. Tax holiday for industries, a demand raised by traders was another topic listed over the phone. Industrialists have long demanded that the manufacturing units of different goods were migrating to other states due to high tax regime in Punjab.
Other issues that were raised are generation of employment for youth, end to drug menace, better healthcare and education as well as housing for the poor.
The team of political strategist Prashant Kishore is maintaining a data of the calls and the issues being listed over phone. HT accessed this data for three months of April, May and June.
Party workers have also suggested many ways of strengthening Congress in the state. A majority of the callers asked to beef up the youth wing of the party. Other calls were related to more representation to youth and women, attention to deserving veteran leaders and distribution of tickets in a timely manner.
