From Our Special Correspondent
Jaipur: MPCC President and Chairman of the North East Congress Coordination Committee, D D Lapang on Sunday said that the appointment of Rahul Gandhi as Vice-President of party will further strengthen Congress in the North East which has a special place for the Gandhi-Nehru family.
Speaking at the AICC meeting here on the penumulate day, Lapang said that people from the region have special hope from Rahul. “They are looking forward to your active role in this remote and backward region,” he said felicitating Rahul on his appointment as number two in the party hierarchy.
Over 1,200 delegates of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) endorsed the party’s decision to make de facto number two Rahul Gandhi as the party’s vice president. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision making body had approved that Rahul Gandhi be made the party’s vice president keeping in mind the huge demand from workers to give him a bigger role in the run up to the 2014 general elections. Party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi put the CWC decision before the AICC which was instantly endorsed by the delegates. Many party leaders and members of the youth wings clapped and raised pro-Rahul Gandhi slogans amid demands that he be made the party’s prime ministerial candidate in 2014 as the applause continued for over five minutes.
Rahul Gandhi, who sat on the floor along with his mother and party chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh kept smiling. He later stood up and thanked them with folded hands.
Rahul Gandhi had actively campaigned in assembly polls held in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura last time. This time too he is expected to campaign for the party candidates in the three North Eastern states, Lapang said.
Following Rahul’s strategy, importance has been given on youth and women for the coming assembly polls in Meghalaya, Lapang said. The state unit has also followed Rahul’s stand to hold elections to the PCC in Meghalaya, he added.