Cong sets up call centre to get workers' feedback on MCD polls

The Delhi Congress has set up a call centre to get the feedback of its over 94,000 booth-level workers about their choice of candidate for the upcoming MCD polls.

The call centre, set up in west Delhi, has 20 callers making around 6,000 to 7,000 calls per day to booth-level workers and asking their favourite candidate.

Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said that the exercise was aimed at empowering grassroots workers and have their say in the selection of candidates for the polls to the three civic bodies of the city.

"The exercise will conclude on March 12 with feedbacks of party workers from all the 272 wards of the three municipal corporations," he said.
 

A total of 10,448 applicants have sought the party's ticket to contest the MCD polls.

Each applicant was asked to provide the names of five workers from each polling booth in a ward from where he wanted to contest.

"Party had gathered details of around 2.5 lakh workers of which over 94,000 were shortlisted for taking their feedback, after screening out common names furnished by the applicants from each ward," senior Congress leader Chatar Singh said.

The 20 callers at the call centre, including 11 party volunteers and nine professionals are working for around 10 hours each day, calling around 6,000 to 7,000 workers about their choice of candidates, he said.

The exercise, which was launched on February 27, has so far covered 110 wards, the remaining ones would be covered by March 12, he said.

The elections to 272 municipal wards in the South, the North and the East Delhi Municipal Corporations will prove to be a barometer of the political influence of the BJP, the AAP and the Congress on the city.

The BJP, which is ruling the three MCD for a decade, is trying hard to face the anti-incumbency and win the elections, while the Congress is trying to revive itself after its forgettable performances in last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in both of which it drew blank in the national capital.

The Aam Aadmi Party too is gearing up for the challenge and maintain its clout which was established with its stupendous victory in 2015 Assembly elections in which it won all but 3 of the 70 Constituencies.