'I need to refocus away from work'

Rahul Gandhi remains reluctant to reveal his marriage plans

“Yeah.. I’m very busy these days. I need to refocus myself a bit away from my work,” said the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family when asked whether he wanted to remain a bachelor to be in the service of the nation. On whether he wasn’t missing a crucial part of his life, Rahul said: “That’s what people have been telling me these days”.

The two-time MP said he was still in the process of learning by going out to meet people, sleeping in their tents and talking to chaiwallah. “When will you stop learning?”asked a scribe.  “When I die…but that doesn’t mean there’s no action. Action is learning and learning is action,’’ the 39-year-old retorted.

On his visits to Dalits houses, he said it was a frame cast by the media. “I don’t believe in castes. The difference between a poor man and a rich man is a question of opportunities. If you studied in a good university then you are smart and intelligent. There are millions out there who are as good but didn’t have the opportunity,” he said.

Gandhi who was on a scheduled visit to three colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode was dressed for the occasion in a check shirt and trousers. He interacted with students at Mar Ivanios College here, Maharaja’s College in Kochi and Farooq College, Kozhikode. He however, strayed from his schedule at Kochi and even took a surprise detour of a girl’s college, St Teresa’s College.

At the news conference, Rahul said he was happy with the Youth Congress’ recent enrollment figures. From less than 4 lakh, its membership had gone up to about 20 lakh during the pre-election membership drive.

“This has been just in Punjab, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu alone - which gives us a lot of confidence. My job is to organise the youth. I’m just an enabler. I’m not the final decision-making authority,’’ he said.