Cong netas summoned for post-budget strategy

NEW DELHI: The Congress high command has called all PCC presidents and CLP leaders to Delhi for a strategy session on Monday. The move is to work out an action-plan ��� which may include preparing for an early Lok Sabha polls ��� for March-April to build a nation-wide campaign and mobilising the party, following the ���feel good��� budget.

The AICC-PCC brain-storming session will take place a day after Sonia Gandhi���s public rally here, which is expected to display the party���s new-found vigour. It also coincides with Mr Rahul Gandhi���s nation-wide tour.

The Congress focus will be in major states where it has to beat BJP to improve its tally in the next Lok Sabha. The Congress/UPA campaign theme was spelt out by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in Parliament on Wednesday, in his combative speech that was lapped up by all UPA MPs.

The renewed Left unrest over the nuclear deal is in the mind of Congress leaders as they work on the party���s post-budget moves. The ruling establishment is not surprised by the Left `resistance��� but there is no panic this time, as they think the budget has given them political room to deal with BJP and Left challenges.

AICC leaders say the Centre and Congress leadership will be open to addressing all `genuine��� Left concerns on the nuclear deal. They are confident that the ���draft of the Government-IAEA negotiation on India-specific safeguards, carried out with the full backing of the Communists, will leave no scope for their prop to raise fresh credible, non-ideological objection���.

���The Left is our valued partner. We will be ready to reassure them on all aspects of the nuclear deal. We don���t practice or accept politics of blackmail. For the Congress, UPA and Left, there is much to be happy about budgetary proposals that have addressed the concerns of a large section of India���s underprivileged. We have reasons to be proud about it,��� said a senior Congress minister soon after the Left rushed a deal-driven letter to the government.

On speculation that Left could put ���drop the deal��� as condition for helping the government pass the budget, a senior Congress leader said: ���Left leaders are sensible. This is the biggest pro-poor budget and only those who are opposed to farmers and other poor social sections of the country will oppose it.���