Cong to launch voter outreach programme in Mumbai from Aug 19

The Congress will launch its door-to-door voter outreach programme in Mumbai from August 19, a day ahead of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in order to prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The party had drawn a blank in the six LS seats in the metropolis in the 2014 general polls after having cornered a lion's share of five seats in the 2009 elections.

The Congress' general secretary and Maharashtra in charge, Mallikarjun Kharge, during a visit to the city recently, had asked partymen to work towards winning all six LS seats here.

"In line with his appeal, the party has decided to launch the drive a day ahead of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji's birth anniversary. The drive is akin to efforts the party took to strengthen its presence in Gujarat ahead of the Assembly polls there," a party source said.

Although the BJP managed to retain power in Gujarat in the Assembly polls held in December last year, the Congress had put up an impressive show winning 77 seats.

The Congress had won 61 seats in the 2012 Assembly election there.

"The party had ensured proper booth level management. Similar efforts are being made in Rajasthan which goes to polls later this year. Mumbai will also see such efforts," the source added.

According to Ravi Raja, the Leader of Opposition in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Congress' Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam will be spearheading the drive.

It would be undertaken in all 227 civic wards of the city, he informed.

"In each ward, 25 party men would reach out to the people at the booth level. The target is to cover 2,000 residences every day. The campaign will go on till the Lok Sabha polls," Raja said.

He said that, during the drive, party workers will highlight the failures of the BJP-led governments in the state and Centre and also apprise people of the Congress' solutions as well as initiatives previous Congress governments took.