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Prasada raises doubts on poll eve

At the press club in Lucknow, he however, ruled out moving the court, saying elections were an internal matter of the party.

''Moving the court on this issue is not my job,'' he added.

The senior Congress leader said he had been receiving complaints from party workers about irregularities in the voters list. ''In 17 major states, the addresses of voters are missing,'' he pointed out.

Prasada said he was in the fray to ensure impartiality in the election process and bring about intra-party democracy as had been stated by Gandhi immediately after taking over as party president.

' I have also communicated it to election authority chairman Ram Niwas Mirdha and it is up to him to take action,'' he said.

Stressing on the implementation of an eight-point agenda he has issued, Prasada said besides winning the election, his endeavour was to strengthen the party and enrich it.

On his plan of action if the election result was adverse, Prasada said he would continue to fight relentlessly to empower the grassroots party workers and search for positive ways to reinstate a Congress government at the Centre.

His agenda should be debated at a party forum to improve its prospects, he asserted.

Denying any nexus with Opposition parties, he dismissed as 'baseless' and an ''allegation'' talk of links with the Bharatiya Janata Party. ''I have not done anything wrong by filing my nomination against Sonia Gandhi and it should not be taken as a revolt,'' he added.

The senior Congress leader said he had served the party for 30 years and was not like others who deserted the party and later returned. He, however, did not take any names.

He also refused to admit that he had ever spoken anything derogatory against Sonia Gandhi. ''The issues I have raised are in the larger interest of the party without any undertones of personal remarks,'' he retorted to a question.

Prasada was accompanied by party parliamentarians Begum Noor Bano and Sujan Singh Bundela.

In New Delhi, Prasada appealed to All-India Congress Committee delegates to cast votes according to their conscience and elect a chief who is committed to intra-party democracy and respects grassroots workers.

Gandhi is likely to reach Lucknow to cast her vote for the presidential elections.

Congress legislature party leader Promod Tiwari said that Gandhi will cast her vote at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters.

Security had been tightened in and around the PCC office in apprehension of clashes between rival groups.

The result is expected to be declared by Mirdha later in the day.

UNI

The Congress: The War Within

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