With its eyes on the Assembly elections in 2012, the Congress is drawing up a plan to combat the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh over the next three years.

Sources said the outlines of the strategy was decided after two days of extensive discussions in Delhi, involving AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, AICC secretaries Parvez Hashmi and Avinash Pandey, CLP leader Pramod Tiwari and state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi. A report on the discussions has been presented to the party high command and its response is awaited.

The roadmap has been prepared keeping three things in mind — internal party elections in UP which are due in 2010, upcoming by-elections, and finally the Assembly elections in 2012.

The strategy lays down the issues that the party should raise in the state and the manner in which they should be raised. Party sources said the strategy would be discussed with the MPs and MLAs from the state in Lucknow on July 25, when a function will be held to felicitate the newly elected members of the Lok Sabha.

Later, it will be placed before the co-ordination committee, which will meet on August 4. AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who has been taking a keen interest in the affairs of the state, has given his consent to attend the meeting.

“For the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, the coming one week will be devoted to strategy planning,” said Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

Joshi returns security outside residence

LUCKNOW: UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday returned the security provided by the state government outside her residence where arson had taken place following her remarks against Mayawati on July 15. She also criticised the Chief Minister for alleging that Congress is conspiring to kill her by withdrawing her NSG cover. “If the Chief Minister of the state feels so insecure, then imagine what will happen to the 18 crore population of the state?” she said. ENS