Lucknow, Nov 26 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) has decided to extend Dalit Gaurav Samvad, its Dalit outreach that was initially scheduled to end on November 26 (Constitution Day), by a month.

It was launched on the death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram on October 9.

“We will continue with the Dalit Gaurav Samvad programme for one more month. We have not been able to reach out to many influential Dalit people so far. We are extending the programme to reach out to more people from Dalit communities,” said state Congress president Ajay Rai.

“Against the target of one lakh people, we have been able to reach out to 86,800 Dalit influencers so far. Now we have raised the target to two lakh. Also, we have increased the number of villages where Dalit chaupals will be held, from 4,000 to 8,000. We are sending the list of these villages to all district units,” said UPCC organisation secretary Anil Yadav.

The programme is aimed at winning back the party’s traditional vote banks. The Congress has been out of power in the state since 1989.

Yadav said the party workers were getting Dalit Mang Patras filled as part of the programme and the main demands being made there include giving ‘pattas’ of lands to Dalits. He said a demand for reservation for them in the private sector and free education (zero admission fee) was also made.