Party or Govt? Cong leaders speculate on larger role for Rahul

A section of party leaders were emphatic that the new role would definitely be in the organisation in view of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The role could be in the form of Working President, Vice President or Secretary General of the party which would give him a greater grip over the organisation.

Demand is also being made by some party leaders that Rahul should be projected as the Primeministerial candidate of the party in the Parliamentary polls.

Another section felt that Rahul could be entering the government in a key position as it was for the first time he has indicated that the option of becoming a Minister was open.

Rahul has been a party General Secretary for the past eight years and has been focusing on the affairs of only the Youth Congress and the NSUI.

A senior leader said a decision on the bigger role for the young leader has to be taken by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul himself and the rest is all guesswork.

Another leader was of the view that it was a "matter between the mother and the son" and no one else could have any inkling of the exact nature of the new role.

The talk in the AICC headquarters was that a reshuffle of the organisation as also the government was on the cards and it has to be seen whether it takes place before the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning Aug 8 or after it concludes on Sep 7.

AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh has already spoken of a larger role for Rahul in September. (More)