Congress to be revamped ahead of assembly elections in UP

With an eye on the next assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, some district units of Congress are likely to be revamped soon and new presidents appointed to galvanise the party.

"Inactive and incompetent district and city Congress presidents will be replaced by new heads," UPCC chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi told PTI here.

Names of new presidents are being finalised, she said.

Congress, which is trying hard to regain its moorings in the largest state having 80 Lok Sabha constituencies, improved its tally in the parliamentary elections in May this year bagging 21 seats compared to nine in 2004.

While, assembly elections in the state are due in 2012, by-elections to 11 assembly constituencies are due on November 7 at Powagan (SC), Lucknow West, Padrouna, Rari, Isauli, Jhansi, Kolasala, Hainsar Bazar, Lalitpur, Etawah and Bharthana.

Blaming chief minister Mayawati for rising crime against women, Joshi alleged that no effective steps have been taken to provide security to the fairer sex.

"Despite having a woman as chief minister, women are not feeling secure at all. It seems there is no law and order worth the name," she said.

Describing as inadequate the measures taken by the state government to tackle the drought situation, she said her party will launch an agitation in this regard.