In order to make its Uttar Pradesh unit fighting fit to face the 2012 assembly elections, the Congress is trimming the bulky 500-member state committee.

After a green signal from the party chief Sonia Gandhi to strengthen party cadre in UP after its good performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the state committee is likely to be pruned to 100-125 members, party sources said on Tuesday.

The existing UP Pradesh Congress Committee, constituted nearly a year ago, has as many as 458 leaders holding important posts. There are 36 vice-presidents, 96 general secretaries and 326 secretaries.

If office-bearers and heads of frontal organisations, cells and departments are included, the total strength of the extended UPCC goes up to 500 members.

Sources said the "mammoth sized" committee was an attempt to "accommodate all, please all" ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to avoid internal bickering.

"Now the party leadership feels there is no point in having such a large committee, especially when a number of office-bearers do not contribute in the organisational works," a senior leader said.

During recent general elections, there were complaints against some office-bearers that they had indulged in anti-party activities and sabotaged the chances of party candidates in some Lok Sabha constituencies, the sources said. Asked as to what criteria would be followed while cutting down the size of the state committee, Congress General Secretary Subodh Srivastava said "those who had performed well in the Lok Sabha elections will be rewarded, whereas those who who did not work will be shown the door."

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