Rahul seeks youth's views for Congress manifesto

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Saturday said "inadequate space for youth in politics" was because "process of entry and promotion are not transparent" as he sought the youth's views on issues to be be included in the party manifesto for the 2014 polls.

Selection process of candidates was also a reason for that, he said while interacting with a select group of over 200 youth from various parts of the country here.

The interaction, not open to the media, was to seek from the youth the issues they want to be included in the party manifesto for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi said parties did not seek the views of the people while selecting candidates for their area, according to a statement released by the Congress.

The youth at the interaction named "Your voice, Our pledge" were students, farmers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, IT/BT employees, sportspersons, NGO representatives, disabled and from the business field.

Gandhi told the group that the Congress was not good at marketing its work while opposition parties did.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, union ministers Manish Tewari, Sachin Pilot and Jitendra Singh, party leader Priya Dutt, Infosys co-founder and UIDAI chairperson Nandan Nilekani, who is seeking Congress ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls, were present.

Later Tiwari told a press meet that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would, in consultation with senior party leaders, decide on Nilekani's candidature.

On Gandhi's interaction with the youth, he said the party, for the first time, consulting people before preparing the manifesto.

Gandhi was spearheading this campaign, he said.