Congress has abundant talent, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday stated there was "abundant talent" in the organisation and singled out "lack of communication and co-ordination" as the only drawback in the party impeding progress.

"There is an abundance of talent present, both within this room and outside and the thing which we lack is communication and co-ordination. To streamline this, we should have regular interactions among ourselves at the AICC (All India Congress Committee) and then at the PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) levels, at the district level and the block level," Gandhi told 40-odd AICC general secretaries and state in-charges, whom he met at the party headquarters here.

Gandhi enthused the party leaders to go to the "grass roots" and interact more with party workers. He urged them to enjoy their work and be more approachable.

This was yet another interaction with party leaders, in a series of meetings that Gandhi has been having since he was appointed vice-president at the party's Chintan Shivir (brainstorming camp) in Jaipur.

To strengthen the organisation, Gandhi urged the leaders to hold regular meeting with PCC chiefs of their respective states. He would start interacting with the respective state Congress units, alongwith the AICC in-charges, to ascertain the issues and problems first hand.

Meanwhile, the party continued to reiterate that Gandhi was the "most appropriate" prime ministerial candidate, a day after he himself expressed his disinterest in the top job.

Congress spokesman Sandeep Dikshit said: "As and when the time will come, the party will take an appropriate decision. As you said, he (Gandhi) is the most appropriate candidate. It's not the party's policy to announce the leader beforehand."

Responding to queries on Gandhi's statement, Dikshit said: "Rahul Gandhi is already heading the party's campaign committee for the 2014 polls and, therefore, will also decide the party's strategy for the general elections. The Congress parliamentary party and the high command will decide whether he would be the prime minister."

The party was also at pains to distinguish between the "culture" of the high command that had been derided by Gandhi and the party's continuing usage of the term "high command".

Dikshit said: "What Rahul Gandhi had talked of changing in all political parties was this "culture" of high command. He had spoken of empowering the middle-level leaders and MPs. When we refer to the high command, it is the top rung of leadership."