Congress holds meeting to firm up media strategy
By IANSMonday, December 6, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Congress Monday held a meeting of its panel of spokespersons and leaders authorised to participate in TV debates on its media strategy in the wake of controversies dogging the government, and decided to ensure that party leaders have the same line on any issue.
Party sources said the meeting deliberated on the party’s response to issues like the 2G spectrum controversy, corruption allegations surrounding Commonwealth Games and the furore over the appointment of P.J. Thomas as the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC).
It was decided the panel should meet in the wake of any issue to firm up the party’s line on it.
The party had last week authorised 17 leaders to take part in TV debates. They include union ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni, Pawan Kumar Bansal, C.P. Joshi, Jairam Ramesh, MPs Girija Vyas, Raj Babbar, P.C. Chacko, Sanjay Nirupam, Rajiv Shukla and Satyavrat Chaturvedi, former minister Renuka Chowdhury and five spokespersons - Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Manish Tewari, Shakeel Ahmed, Jayanthi Natarajan and Mohan Prakash.
Sources added that the leaders also sought to work out a strategy to convey its viewpoint among people in the face of stubborn protests by the opposition parties.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the 17th consecutive day Monday as opposition MPs continued to press for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
The Opposition is also planning to hold rallies and demonstrations on the issue after the winter session concludes, sources said.
The media team also discussed ways to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left in view of next year’s assembly polls in some crucial states like Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
