No tickets if Cong ministers do not reach out to people: Rahul

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today warned his party's ministers in Jammu and Kashmir that they could be denied tickets in the next elections if they did not reach out to the people and address their grievances.

"Our ministers are sitting here. They are doing a good job, but there are complaints against them. I want to tell them that you are ministers and MLAs, but this is your party and you have to listen to them (people).

"And if you do not listen to them, then it is your decision, and remember this that when tickets will be distributed (in next elections) you will be at loss. And if you go to people, listen to them and do their work, you will benefit," Rahul told workers at the party headquarters here.

He said the workers are the party's "back bone" and respecting them amounted to respecting people of the state.

"They (workers) are our back bone. They fight our battle and whoever the leader - be that Ambika Soni or Saifuddin Soz - one has to respect them, because if we do not respect them, we cannot respect the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Rahul said his entire focus is on making a worker stronger and letting his voice be heard in Delhi.

"For me the most important thing in the party is a worker. There are ministers, MPs or MLAs, but they become so because of the workers. A worker is not there because of a minister. My entire focus is on the worker...What rights should a worker get and the voice of the worker should be heard in a good manner not only in Srinagar, but in Delhi too.

"And whatever I do, I will do that for making the worker stronger. My focus will be that when the time for ticket distribution comes, our worker should say that he was consulted...The rights of the workers should be implemented," he said.