‘BRING RAHUL’ DEMAND FIRST MADE IN HYD

Rahul Gandhi’s first priority as the Congress vice-president will be to take a firm stand on coalitions and revive the party in UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Odisha.

His elevation, party strategists feel, will rejuvenate the Congress across the country and attract youth wanting to play a role in nation building.

The demand of “Rahul lao (Bring Rahul)” was first made in the Congress plenary in Hyderabad in 2006; he became AICC general secretary the next year.

The Jaipur session became historic, literally, on Saturday. That Mr Gandhi would be elevated became clear in the afternoon when delegates started throwing broad hints of his elevation. By Saturday evening it became clear that it would be announced by night when party workers started bursting fire- crackers in Jaipur, New Delhi and elsewhere.

The AICC meet on Sunday will witness his first speech as party vicepresident. Earlier, “wait till tomorrow” was the cryptic response of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia when asked about a formal promotion of the young leader, who is already number two in the party. “He is a mature leader and has been taking major decisions informally.”

“We have been expecting it for long. It should have happened earlier,” said Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan when asked whether Mr Gandhi would be made the PM candidate.

Union minister Jitin Prasad said, “We want him to play a far bigger role in the 2014 polls. Youth have been the focus in this shivir.”

“Rahul is the asset of the party,” remarked Renuka Chowdhury. Vayalar Ravi and Mani Shankar Aiyar also batted for bigger responsibility for Mr Gandhi.