Congress bats for civic polls with party symbols in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Feb 2 (PTI) The Congress would urge the Jharkhand government to conduct the civic polls in the state on party lines, its leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said on Sunday.

Elections for the urban local bodies, pending since April 2023, are held sans party symbols in the state.

"We will place a demand before the government to hold the polls on party lines," said Mir, the Congress in-charge of Jharkhand, addressing a meeting in Ranchi.

"If the elections are held on a non-party line basis, we need to work out a mechanism and chalk out strategies to support such candidates who are of Congress ideology," he added.

There are indications that the state government may conduct the civic polls this year.

The meeting, chaired by Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, also discussed the upcoming budget of the state government, of which it is a part.

"Efforts will be made to make the budget in accordance with the views of public representatives, organisation members and the people of the state. The points raised during the meeting regarding the budget will be discussed with the chief minister," Mir said.

This will be the first budget of the second Hemant Soren government in the state.

"It is not possible to include all the guarantees in a single budget, but the basic foundation can be laid. We have to prioritise our guarantees," Mir said, referring to the pre-poll promises made by his party.

Kamlesh said the Congress would seek a caste census, a displacement commission, a scheduled caste council and a special provision for water harvesting in Jharkhand, in the state budget. PTI SAN SOM

Source: PTI