All eyes on Rahul. But will he oblige?
Friday January 18, 2013 09:40:36 PM,
Amit Agnihotri,
IANS
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Jaipur: All eyes were
on Congress' de facto number two Rahul Gandhi, who is expected to
play a "bigger role" and give "new direction" to the party that
began its three-day special session here to evaluate its strengths
and weaknesses while firming up a strategy for the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls.
While there is a popular demand within the Congress that Rahul
Gandhi should lead the party in 2014 elections, the general
secretary, who has said he is ready for a bigger role, is yet to
spell out his position clearly even as there is talk that he would
lead the party in the next general election.
For the record, he heads the party's coordination panel for the
2014 general elections.
Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, who works closely with
Rahul Gandhi and has been demanding that the Nehru-Gandhi family
scion should assume a bigger role in party, said the young leader
should not be forced into anything.
"As far as Rahul is concerned, don't force him. Let him chalk out
his own life, his own road map... He is already leading the group
to make the 2014 election plan. He is leading the youth wing, the
NSUI," Digvijaya Singh said.
The 42-year-old MP, who has been involved with key decisions in
the past, including in cabinet formation without himself taking a
place in it, ensured that one third of the 350 delegates at the 'chintan
shivir' (brainstorming session) were from the Youth Congress and
the National Students Union of India, the two frontal organisation
he heads.
Out of 350 delegates, over 130 delegates are from the youth wings.
Former union minister Ambika Soni, who left the government a few
months ago to work for the party, highlighted Gandhi's role and
gave full credit to him.
"Credit should go Rahul Gandhi for allowing elected members of the
YC and NSUI in such large numbers," Soni said before while
inviting party chief Sonia Gandhi to address the gathering.
Noting the "party was more important than the government", Soni
said Rahul Gandhi too has chosen to strengthen the organisation
than join the government.
"Sonia Gandhi showed in 2004 that the party is more important than
government...Rahul Gandhi has also chosen to strengthen party,"
said Soni adding "the party looked forward to new direction from
him" at the meeting.
Rahul Gandhi has refused to accept many offers from Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh in the past to join his government.
Senior leaders say he wants to focus on long-term goal to revive
the party which is not in power in more than half the states.
Young Congress leaders like Minister of State for Home and Sports
R P N Singh and Minister of State (independent charge) for
Corporate Affairs Sachin Pilot reacted to the issue with caution.
"Let us wait till the meet is over," both Singh and Pilot told
reporters separately.
(Amit Agnihotri can be contacted at amit.a@ians.in)
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