'Cong workers want Rahul's leadership'

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari on Saturday said the rank and file of the Congress party would like to fight the coming Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of the party vice president Rahul Gandhi, but the final decision on it will be taken by party president Sonia Gandhi.

Addressing reporters, he said the president of Congress will take appropriate strategic decision in consultation with the senior party leaders. However, young Congress leaders and a large number of apolitical people expressed their desire to fight next elections under Rahul’s leadership, he added. He was responding to a query on Congress’ prime ministerial candidate. 

He took a jibe at the BJP for being a personality-centric party unlike the Congress which believes in the concept of collective leadership. “We are not a one personality-centric party. We don’t have one person who keeps on thumping his chest and thinks that he is the panacea for all problems. We have the concept of collective leadership,” he said. 

Over the last couple of years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the vice president have demonstrated the concept of collective leadership through their work. They have given an effective leadership. 

On Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s statement that he would be happy to see NCP chief Sharad Pawar as the prime minister, Tewari said he was not aware of the context in which the statement was made. 

He also indicated that the party would field UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani as the party candidate from Bangalore South constituency, saying that he has contributed immensely for the country. The party high command will decided about it, he added.