Cong to switch on Rahul button for by-elections

State Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi met Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday and briefed him about the recent review of the party’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls and also submitted a brief report on the Assembly constituencies which fell vacant. “He (Rahul Gandhi) has agreed to spare a day. Digvijay Singh and I will sit with him to discuss our course of action for the by-elections,” said Joshi.

“He is making an extra effort to strengthen the party in Uttar Pradesh. We have already been told about his mission for 2012,when Assembly elections will be held in the state. Now we have heard that the by-elections will be contested under his guidance, right from the selection of candidates,” said a senior Congress leader.

The party has already deputed leaders to collect the details about the constituencies and prospective candidates.

The constituencies where the by-elections are expected to be held include Lucknow West, Malihabad,Jhansi, Padrauna, Rari, Morna, Powyn,Kolasala, Bharthana, Moradabad,Vidhuna and Mughalsarai.

While Padrauna has been vacated by RPN Singh,Minister of State for Surface Transport,who was elected to the Lok Sabha,Jhansi was vacated by Pradeep Jain,Minister of State for Rural Development.