CWC backs Rahul on shaping a disciplined, young Congress

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday expressed unflinching support to new President Rahul Gandhi to build a disciplined, young party.

During a two-hour deliberation, the party top brass, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh,  emphasised that the Congress party needed to be accountable and pitched for a massive programme to reach out to the masses to win back the trust of the people.

At the outset, Rahul Gandhi told the leaders that the CWC will meet once every two months so that the party leadership could target issues facing the nation and know the pulse of the people.

Rahul is expected to announce his new team around the Congress Foundation Day on December 28.

The leaders also backed Rahul on taking steps to ensure discipline and eschew all  loose talk. This unequivocal support for enforcing party discipline comes in the wake of the suspension of veteran leader Mani Shankar Aiyar for certain objectionable comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A section of leaders believed that Aiyar's views and comments by a few other leaders dealt a severe blow to Congress' prospects in the Gujarat elections.

"I agree. We will ensure discipline is enforced and the party is strengthened," Gandhi told the meeting.

Thursday's special court verdict acquitting the 2G spectrum allocation 'scam' accused and the Gujarat assembly elections dominated the deliberations. Several leaders concurred that had the 2G verdict come earlier, the Congress could have formed the government in Gujarat.

Later, interacting with reporters, Rahul said the 2G verdict has been a vindication of the Congress party's stand.

Lies, says Rahul

Gandhi  referred to Modi's promise of putting Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's bank account, the 2G spectrum allocation issue and Modi's development model and said, "one by one the lies are coming out".

The meeting also took note of the Bombay High Court order quashing the Maharashtra Governor's sanction to prosecute former chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh housing scam.