Congress’s Jharkhand unit will kickstart its Assembly election campaign on September 22 with a meeting addressing women beneficiaries of government welfare schemes at Ranchi.

Former state executive president of Jharkhand Congress and former Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey informed that the function, which will also be attended by AICC Jharkhand in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir and chief minister Hemant Soren, will be held at ITI Bus Stand in Ranchi.

“This programme would basically be a dialogue with the women beneficiaries of various government welfare schemes and get their views and suggestions on the implementation of the schemes. Thousands of women from different assembly segments falling under the South Chotanagpur division, Koderma, Chatra and Latehar will attend the programme,” said Tirkey.

Sources in the party said that women beneficiaries of these schemes being run by the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition government in the last four and half years, including the recent maiyan samman yojana in which monthly financial assistance of ₹1000 is given to women in the age group of 18-50 years, will be invited to the meeting and the party will bear their travel expense.

“We are making arrangements for large number of women beneficiaries from 15 assembly constituencies especially, Latehar, Manika, Lohardaga, Gumla, Bishunpur, Sisai, Simdega, Kolebira, Khunti, Mandar, Ranchi, Kanke, Hatia, Khijri, Torpa and Koderma for the meeting,” added Tirkey.

Tirkey’s daughter Shilpi Neha Tirkey is currently serving as the MLA from Mandar.

Sources said that the party is expecting to take into confidence the women beneficiaries who will act as the party’s cadre at the grassroot level during the upcoming Assembly polls.

“The meeting will also be attended by senior women Congress leaders and members of social organizations.

“We are also planning to felicitate those women who are working for the society at the grassroot level. We want to take help from the women in the upcoming Assembly elections,” said Tirkey.

The program will also be addressed by AICC ST/SC OBC and minority front coordinator K Raju, state Congress president Keshav Mahto and legislative party leader and cabinet minister Rameshwar Oraon. Former president of All India Mahila Congress Neta D’Souza will also attend the programme.

It was also announced that Congress state president Keshav Mahto will interact with party’s district and block presidents, senior leaders of Santhal Pargana region especially Jamtara, Dumka, Godda and Sahibganj districts between September 19 and 21.