AIPC can become feeder for Congress: Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor today said the newly-formed All India Professionals' Congress can become a feeder for the party and open doors for those who feel they have no access to the political world.
"Idea is to bring new people into politics who are outside the net. There are many people in the country who find politics is a closed door to them," Tharoor, the chairman of AIPC, told reporters.
"AIPC can be imagined as a feeder for the main party where we may discover bright articulate people who could be spokespeople, people from academics who could help us with research," he added.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi yesterday held the first meeting of the newly-formed AIPC.
Explaining the functioning of AIPC, Tharoor said the body will be on a listening mode and receive professional inputs on issues that matter.
"We will listen to professionals as well as ask them about various issues like the implementation of GST and 'Swachh Bharat'. We hope the inputs they give will not only influence the work of the mainstream party, but also those who have time and inclination can work with the mainstream," he said.

Replying to a question on Gandhi's role in AIPC, Tharoor said personal interest and commitment of Gandhi has been manifest from the start.

"We have been talking almost daily about it (AIPC). He has really seen this in a hands-on spirit. In my view you are going to see a lot of his activities on a daily basis," he said.
Tharoor also said the body will be self-financed without any support from the party.