Bihar Congress president Ashok Chaudhary today thanked the people of the state for giving a landslide mandate to the Grand Alliance in the Assembly polls and said his party's ministers and legislators will strive hard to live up to the expectation of everybody.
"We thank the people for giving a landslide verdict to the Grand Alliance at the hustings. All Congress legislators and ministers will strive hard to live up to everyone's expectation," he told reporters after review meeting of the Congress' performance at the election.
Congress bagged 27 seats out of 41 it contested in alliance with RJD and JD(U). The Grand Alliance swept the polls winning a staggering 178 seats to form government.
As per a formula worked out, all three constituents were rewarded one ministerial berth against five MLAs with Congress getting five ministerial berths against its 27 seats though only four ministers have been included in the Nitish Kumar Ministry so far.
Chaudhary, who has been made Education Minister in the Nitish Kumar government, said the Grand Alliance government has begun well with the Chief Minister fulfilling one of his poll promises to ban liquor in Bihar from April 1, 2016.
The Chief Minister has kept his word on banning liquor in Bihar in the face of revenue loss of Rs 4,000 crore a year, the state Congress president said.
He said the state government also proposed to provide wi- fi facility in all educational institutions in the state.
Referring to organisational matters, Chaudhary said party leaders, including MLAs and MLCs, attended the review meeting to take stock of the Congress' performance.
It was decided in the meeting that all ministers from Congress will spend a day on weekly basis at Sadaqat Ashram, the party headquarters, to listen to the problems of fellow party workers and common man, while the legislators will do so one every fortnight, he said.
Chaudhary said the party has decided to expand its base at the grass root level for which district unit chiefs and legislators have been asked to make recommendation for block unit presidents.
Congress will also carry out membership drive till December 31 in which ministers and legislators will take part, he said adding the party will take action against those leaders who had worked against the Grand Alliance's interests during Assembly polls.
Gadkari, who had won from Nagpur, became Union Transport
and Shipping Minister in Narendra Modi cabinet.
Raut said the Congress is the only party which can claim to have participated in the country's freedom struggle.
"The constitution that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar crafted has ensured social equality and justice to all," he said.
Chaturvedi said, "Envious of this, the BJP is now trying to discredit Nehru and distort history, even claiming ownership of Sardar Patel's work."
Chaturvedi, a four term former MLA and a former District Guardian Minister, also stressed on the special role of Nagpur in the Congress history.
"The non-cooperation movement was launched in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi from the party session here. Then he carefully chose Sewagram in neighbouring Wardha District as his abode during freedom movement and steered the fight for independence," he added.
Veteran party leaders and ageing workers were felicitated on the occasion. It was also decided to give a scroll of honour to every senior party worker at their homes.
