New Delhi: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi on Tuesday suggested at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) that to bolster its poll prospects, the party should announce without further delay that it will fight the next 2014 Lok Sabha elections under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.
Jogi, a special invitee to the CWC, said Rahul should assume a lead role in the party during the next general elections.
He demanded that it should also be announced without delay that Congress will fight the Lok Sabha polls under Rahul's leadership as any further delay in doing so will not be beneficial for the party, sources said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul himself were present when Jogi made the suggestion. However, none else in the CWC or these three top leaders said anything on the matter, the sources said.
Rahul has himself said recently that he will be playing a bigger role in the Congress and the government. There is already a buzz in the party that he is soon going to assume a more significant role within the organisation.
Jogi also said that the UPA should give more focus on welfare schemes for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik also brought up this issue and urged that the government pay greater attention to implementation of all welfare schemes, saying it was not up to the mark.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 25, 2012, 22:19
