Mistri to visit UP tomorrow, to chalk out 2014 polls strategy

On a mission to set in order the Congress state unit in Uttar Pradesh, newly appointed AICC general secretary Madhusudan Mistri will meet party MLAs, zonal in-charges and co-ordinators to get a first hand assessment to help chalk out the party's strategy for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Mistri, who has already taken stock of the affairs in a meeting of state Congress leaders in Delhi, will arrive here on a one-day visit tomorrow morning, party sources said.

As the first step in that direction, he would be monitoring the progress made in the ongoing revamping works and reorganisation of the district and city units.

He would hold a meeting with the eight zonal in-charges and coordinators and later with the MLAs to take first hand account of the affairs of the state Congress, the sources said.

Meanwhile, after the controversy over the remarks of Union minister Beni Prasad Verma broke out on June 25, Mistri spoke twice to him over the phone telling him in clear terms that it is better if such things are not discussed in public.

The Union minister, in his remarks, has alleged that some party leaders worked as "B-team of Samajwadi Party".

Some in the party believe that Mistri, belonging to Gujarat, has been brought here in a move to counter Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's aide, Amit Shah who has been made BJP's in-charge of this crucial state while others are of the opinion that his being an OBC leader would be beneficial for the party in Uttar Pradesh.