Chandigarh: Sanjay Pahwa : Punjab youth congress today launched its membership drive from Chandigarh during an impressive function held at Punjab congress bhavan. The first fifty membership forms were submitted to Sh Jitendra Singh MP, Secretary AICC and incharge Indian youth congress and Sh. Rajiv Satav president Indian youth congress by S Ravnit Singh Bittu MP and president Punjab youth congress at the function. Subsequently the body of Punjab youth congress was dissolved today with immediate effect till the new election process is completed and new body takes over.Addressing the gathering of youth congress workers Sh Jitendra Singh said that youth congress is always there to help the Punjab Pradesh congress and this time also youth congress will participate in the coming assembly elections in Punjab along with senior congress. Youth congress workers will work at the booth level to mobilise support for the senior party leaders. Hence will bring about a change by throwing the akalis out of power. Singh said that it is now for the second time youth congress is having democratic elections in Punjab again and we expect major response from the youth of Punjab by participating in the membership drive. Foundation of advanced management of elections, a premier organization which will be overseeing the election process in Punjab, has already deputed more than 200 workers from across the country in Punjab to complete the election process by November this year. Sh. Rahul Gandhi started this experiment from Punjab which was very successful and then it was undertaken in other 16 states also. The election model is such that it very transparent, free and fair. Singh appealed to the youth of Punjab that if they want to change the politics and really perform then they should come forward in this election and participate. He also thanked S Ravnit Bittu and his whole team for doing excellent works in their tenure and assured them they will be duly adjusted in the senior party structure accordingly.
Speaking at the function Indian youth congress president Sh Rajiv Satav said that the membership drive will be for 28 days till 24 June 2011 and there is a major change this time as compared to the last election. This time we have introduced the committees at the booth level also so that worker at the booth level gets proper representation. Earlier it was only at zila and block level. Satav further said that this drive is open for all between the age group of 18 to 35 years and appealed the youth of Punjab that like Sh Rahul Gandhi gave opportunity to S Ravnit Bittu and Sh Vijayinder Singla by giving them tickets for the parliamentary elections this time more youth will get opportunities like this. So they should come forward and join the youth congress membership drive. Satav also appreciated the jobs done by Bittu and his whole team and expected that they would also support the new team which takes over by November this year.
Thanking the senior leadership for their continuous support, S Ravnit Bittu said that because of the system developed by Sh Rahul Gandhi that we have reached till this place and anybody can fit into this system so more youth should come in this membership drive. He assured the leaders that he will personally see that this time the enrolment should go more than 10 lacs members from across the state. He said that youth congress has done a lot in the last two years starting from doing 1800 km padyatra in 45 days across Punjab then a protest march towards the Punjab assembly and finally the recent indefinite hunger strike at Ludhiana.
Smt Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, leader of opposition in the Punjab assembly, in her speech requested Sh Rahul Gandhi to tour Punjab to oversee the condition of farmers and the number of suicides by them due to the negligence of the state government.
Senior Pradesh congress leader S Lal Singh also spoke at the occasion and assured that every help from the Punjab Pradesh congress will be given to make this membership drive successful.
Among others Sh VijayInder Singla MP, S Avtar Brar MLA, S Ajit Singh Shaant MLA, S Joginder Singh Panjgrain MLA, S Sadhu Singh Dharamsot MLA, Sh Harbans Lal MLA, S Charanjit Channi MLA, Sh Joginder Jain MLA, S Ajitinder Mofar MLA, Sh Jassi Khangura MLA, S Balbir Sidhu MLA and many senior party leaders and youth congress office bearers were present at this function.