RAHUL GANDHI

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi has deputed 49 Congress MLAs from across the country to camp in select constituencies of Uttar Pradesh to "micro-manage" the campaign and ensure the party's victory in Assembly elections. The 49 constituencies, which go to polls in the first and second phases, have been personally chosen by Gandhi as Congress nominees in these segments are testing their fortunes in electoral arena for the first time. Sources said the MLAs, who belong to the Youth Congress, have been asked to camp in the constituencies alloted for them from the date of filing nomination to the day of polling so that everything goes as per the plan. "These MLAs will virtually take over the campaign from the candidates who are first-timers. Since these MLAs have had some experience, they will advise on the campaign strategy and interact with party workers and micro-manage the campaign," a senior Youth Congress leader said. Every MLA will have one constituency to lo

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said Amarinder Singh will be the chief minister of Punjab if the Congress is voted to power in the Jan 30 elections to the 117-seat assembly in the state. Addressing political rallies at Chabhal area of Tarn Taran district and later at Ferozepur town, the young Gandhi scion ended the speculation on who would be the next chief minister if the Congress comes back to power. Amarinder Singh, the Punjab Congress president, is a former chief minister. Arriving almost two hours behind the scheduled time of his rallies at both the venues, Rahul took a dig at leaders of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine for "mismanaging the state" in the last five years. "These leaders tell you that Punjab is shining. They never meet the common people, sit or eat with them. They just see the shine from their cosy comfort," he said in Hindi. He said the Akali Dal-BJP government had promoted rampant