19 August,2009 01:17 PM IST | | PTI
Concerned that drought conditions may affect its electoral prospects in the forthcoming assembly polls in four states, the Congress Working Committee today met here to explore ways and means to deal with the situation.
The meeting, chaired by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh among others, will ask the government to speed up measures to tackle the problem.
The meeting comes at a time when assembly elections in four states -- Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh -- are expected soon. Of these, Maharashtra and Jharkhand have declared drought, partly or wholly.
The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Goa, Rajasthan, Delhi and Assam besides Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, P Chidambaram and Veerappa Moily.
ALSO READ
Congress Working Committee meets to finalise party's Lok Sabha poll manifesto
Congress Working Committee to meet today to approve manifesto for LS polls
I am 100 per cent with caste census, it's our highest priority: Sonia Gandhi
Congress Working Committee meeting likely on October 9 in Delhi
Cong leaders call for adopting cautious approach on Sanatan Dharma row: Report
The country has witnessed rainfall deficiency of 29 per cent and the number of districts reeling under drought or drought-like condition has gone up to 207.
u00a0
The CWC had discussed the issue of price rise at its meeting in June when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had explained to the members the international economic scenario vis-a-vis the status of economy in the country.
With summer crops being affected because of deficient rains, the party apprehends that prices of foodgrains could rise further if winter crops too are hit
