IYC membership takes a hit in UP

While newly appointed AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi is pushing for including the youth in the political system, it might have been too little, too late for the party in Uttar Pradesh. As per the official figures for the nearly four-month long membership drive conducted last year in 26 Lok Sabha constituencies of UP (Central), only 47,249 forms were received for membership of the party's youth wing, the Indian Youth Congress.

After a revision for invalid forms, this number came down to 38,196. This is a far cry from 2.66 lakh members who enrolled in the Youth Congress in the central zone of UP in 2010. IYC officials on Tuesday claimed that some of these have renewed their membership; but they said they didn't have the details available with them.

"Those who want to renew their membership can do so during the scrutiny period, after which there won't be any more changes in the voters' list," said IYC Election Commissioner Suraj M N Hegde. "We expect our final voter list in excess of one lakh," claimed state Returning Officer Kunal Banerjee.

Next, between January 23 and January 27, the voters' list will be displayed at district level for the voters to cross check their details such as their names, photographs, etc. Voters will also be able to check their details on the IYC's website as well.

After the list is finalised, elections will be held at the booth level in phase one. Then, after a gap of nearly a week, votes will be polled for committees at the Assembly, Lok Sabha and state level. "We expect to finish the entire process by the first week of March," Banerjee said. With the declaration of scrutiny of forms, the IYC Central zone, led by Tarun Patel, was also dissolved.

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