Ranchi, Feb 2 (PTI) – The Congress party has called on the Jharkhand government to conduct civic body elections on party lines, senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir announced on Sunday.
The urban local body elections, pending since April 2023, are currently held without party symbols in the state. Addressing a meeting in Ranchi, Mir, the Congress in-charge of Jharkhand, stated, "We will place a demand before the government to hold the polls on party lines."
However, in the event that the elections continue to be conducted without party affiliations, Mir stressed the need for a structured strategy to support candidates aligned with Congress ideology.
The state government has hinted at holding the civic polls later this year, though an official confirmation is awaited.
Congress Eyes Key Budgetary Inclusions
The meeting, chaired by Jharkhand Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh, also deliberated on the state's upcoming budget, the first under the second tenure of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.Mir emphasized that efforts would be made to shape the budget in line with the aspirations of public representatives, party members, and the general populace. He assured that the issues raised in the meeting would be conveyed to the chief minister.
Acknowledging the challenge of incorporating all electoral guarantees in a single budget, Mir noted, "The basic foundation can be laid. We have to prioritize our guarantees."
Kamlesh outlined key demands the Congress intends to push for in the state budget, including:
- A caste census
- Establishment of a displacement commission
- Formation of a scheduled caste council
- A special provision for water harvesting
