Rahul asks Congress youth to be soldiers
by Pankaj Yadav

    Rajiv Nagar (Hyderabad): Rahul Gandhi, the scion of Nehru-Gandhi family, today fulfilled the wishes of thousands of his partymen present at Hyderabad's Gachibolwi Stadium by addressing them from the platform of the 82nd Plenary Session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). For the past two days, Congressmen present here had been clamouring for Rahul to address them and for announcement that he would be given a responsibility in one of the party's top fora. The 35-year-old Member of Parliament from Amethi said that he had come to attend the plenary session to listen to the views of senior leaders, "but you people wanted to hear my views". Indicating that he would hold the party's reins on his own terms (at a later time), Rahul said, "Leadership has to be built slowly......brick-by-brick. As of now my place is among you people."

   Addressing a Congress session for the first time, Rahul said that the need of the hour was to strengthen the party's base in those states where it was weak and out of power. "I want to lay stress only on one point mentioned in the political resolution - at the places where our party is weak, we have to strengthen and ressurect its mass base," he added. In an indirect reference to Uttar Pradesh, Rahul said that he did not believe in the common impression that the state was in the grip of regional parties.

    "I don't agree with the reason given by some that we are again and again failing in some states because caste-based regional parties are holding the fort there. We have failed because we didn't live up to the expectations of the people and our partymen in those states," he added. "North India has been our stronghold, a source of power. Why is it that it has now become our weakness?" Rahul said, adding, "I want to focus on politics in north India. I want to work in the states where Congress is weak". Appealing to the old leaders of the party, he said, "We are your soldiers. Open the doors of Congress Party to millions of Indians who believe in the Party's ideology". Rahul said that the Congress party has enough opportunity and a strong lobby of prominent leaders. "We have Manmohan Singh, our Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi, our party president who make us proud". Refusing to accept any post in the All India Congress Committee, Rahul said he was still a learner and that his role in the party was that to strengthen Congress stronghold in various states. He further said that the three strengths of his party were - Experience, Grassroots Workers and the Youth. He appealed to the youth leaders in his party to be "soldiers" and ready to accept any order from the elders. "Let us become leaders through learning and listening, while staying away from the corridors of power," he said. Rahul also urged the youths to go work on ground level to strengthen the party. "We have new challenges to overcome and new dreams to fulfill. Move away from the corridors of power. Let us go to the fields, schools, Universities to rebuild the nation," he said.

    Earlier, before climbing up the stairs to the podium, Rahul removed his chappals, unlike yesterday when he climbed up the dias twice. "Perhaps, today he is more religious in climbing up the party's ladder than yesterday", said one senior journalist sitting in the space allotted for the media before Rahul started his maiden speech. Rahul's speech evoked a mixed response from among the journalists present on the occasion. While one said it was "excellent", another said it "could have been more proper", while yet another went to the extent of awarding seven numbers out of ten. The last thing I have to say, he said, someone asked me that what is your religion. "I replied that the Indian flag is my religion and my place is right now with my people," Rahul said , adding, "When my father (Rajiv Gandhi) died, I decided to serve the nation". Though in his concluding remarks, Rahul notably said: "I promise you that I won't let you down." After Rahul ended his speech, senior Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi indicated that now the time was not far when Rahul would arrive at the Congress' centrestage. "Rahul has already come before you, thus fulfilling the demand you have been making yesterday. Considering your emotions and demand (of bringing Rahul at the centerstage), a major step would be taken soon. I can say only this much as of now," Reddy said.

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