The city Congress has began planning strategies for the ensuing polls and is holding consultations with the party workers to decide the party candidate for contesting the Pune seat. The party executive held its meeting at the Congress Bhavan today and decided that such meetings will be held every week. Kalmadi would also be attending the meetings whenever he is in the city.

Kalmadi said that he had left the ``Kesari Congress'' and was happy to return to the original Congress. He said he was hurt when he was outside the party and that he would never leave the party again. Praising the party workers, he was looking forward to work with them. He charged that the NCP was pressuring the district unit leaders to join their party, but their party had only the support on 11 corporators in the city as against 70 with the Congress. The NCP, he said, would not be able to win more than four seats in Maharashtra.

City unit Congress chief Mohan Joshi said that the party has initiated a campaign to reach up to the people and appraise them about the policies of the party. Among others who were present included Mayor Datta Gaikwad, Arun Dhimdhime, Chandrakant Chhajed, and Vatsala Andekar.