Cong top brass discusses strategy for coming LS poll

New Delhi, Oct 30, 2008: Amid talk of Lok Sabha elections in February, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi discussed with senior leaders the strategy ahead of the party. A party leader said several issues, including the elections ,came up at the deliberations but declined to elaborate.

The meeting took place at a time when a section of the party is favouring polls in February in the wake of the global economic meltdown and its impact on the country. The Prime Minister has said that India would not remain unaffected by the crisis.

A senior minister has already said Congress leadership will have to take a call on the timing of the elections sooner than later.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajshekhar Reddy was a special invitee to the meeting of the core group of which senior leaders Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil, Arjun Singh, A K Antony and Ahmed Patel are the members.

February is the option talked about with Congress sources saying it was the only slot available along with April-May as school examinations are held in March.

The Congress-led UPA coalition is battling hard in the wake of the global financial meltdown and a section of the party is advocating that it was time that the government go in for massive infrastructure projects including in the countryside to keep boost the economy.

Besides greater liquidity in the financial system, this section is also favouring a sizable cut in interest rates on housing loan contending it would give a boost to the infrastructure sectors like steel and cement.