In an attempt to eliminate bogus membership and ensure that each and every member on its register is genuine, the Congress has made putting the photograph of every member mandatory on the enrolment form. However, partymen are complaining that it has made enrolment extremely difficult.

Sources at the Congress headquarters here said at several places, the membership forms and fee had been returned because the forms did not have photographs of the newly enrolled members.

The Congress had launched its membership drive in December last year and the party had sold off 53 lakh membership forms in UP. However, so far, only around 25,000 forms have been received at the state headquarters which are complete in all respects.

“It is certainly difficult to arrange photographs in the rural areas and this has been conveyed to us from various districts. I personally informed Oscar Farnandes about this problem during a recent meeting on the membership drive, which was held in Delhi. I have been assured this decision would be reviewed,” said R K Dwivedi, in-charge of membership drive in the state.

“However, until it is reviewed, we are not accepting any forms without pictures,” Dwivedi said.

Asked about the low enrolment, Dwivedi said the party would speed up the drive during the last two months that are still left, and especially during the “intensive membership drive” which the party would carry out from November 10 to November 31.

The special drive would also see participation of MPs and Union ministers and special camps would be organised.

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