Rahul Gandhi went to visit Gujarat on 15th April to start off a pilot initiative rotating around strengthening the network of the party at grassroot levels.
Opposition party leader, Rahul Gandhi, to strengthen its position in Gujarat, saying that only the Congress can take on and defeat the Rashtrya Swamasevak Sangh(RSS) and BJP.
Rahul Gandhi used a metaphor for describing the leadership challenges within the party saying,
“ There are two kinds of horses, one meant for races an one for weddings. People told me that Congress sometimes sends the wedding horse to the race and the racing horse to the wedding,” emphasising the need to assign the right roles to the right leaders.
We seem demoralised in Gujarat, but we will defeat them (BJP) in the state,” he said, adding that the transformation would begin from Gujarat. The Congress has decided to introduce new leadership in the state to address internal challenges, he added.
In the meeting with district leaders, Gandhi acknowledged the need for internal change within the Congress. He said that destructive competition among leaders and the exclusion of local leaders from ticket distribution were key concerns raised during the discussions.
“We have decided that some changes need to be brought in the Congress party. I met with senior leaders from the districts, and we had a very good discussion. They told me that competition among leaders is destructive, and not productive. They also mentioned that local leaders are not included in the ticket distribution process,” he said.
Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat that began on 15 April, made the comments while speaking at the Congress district workers’ convention in Modasa.
He explained that the ongoing effort to revamp the party has been under discussion for several months, including with senior leaders and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
“This ongoing fight is not just political, it is also ideological. And people know that only the Congress party can defeat the RSS and the BJP,” Gandhi said.