Country tired of Modi, Cong can show the way out, says Rahul Gandhi

Launching a frontal attack on the BJP, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that the country is tired of the Modi government and only the Congress can show a way out.

In his brief welcome address at the AICC Plenary, his first after taking over as Congress President, Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of dividing the nation and spreading anger amongst the people.

"The country is tired and searching for a way out. Only Congress can show the path," Gandhi said urging the Congress workers to unite.  Gandhi also allayed apprehension of senior leaders that they would be left out as a new Congress takes shape under his leadership.

"The Plenary talks about the future and change. The tradition of the Congress party is to embrace change without forgetting our past and legacy," Gandhi said adding that he would rely heavily on the experience of the seniors and the energy of the youth.

"My job is to be a link between the seniors and the youth," Gandhi said to a packed audience of Congress workers and leaders gathered at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here.  A number of leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sachin Pilot urged party workers to shun the sense of despondency and gear up to fight the Modi government. "Half the battle is lost, if you do not believe in yourself," Kharge said.

"Revolution will not come by sitting silently. We will have to sweat it out by working night and day," Pilot said.  Unlike the past AICC Plenaries, a striking change under Gandhi was the seating arrangement at the venue. All the leaders were seated in the audience and while the stage had a solitary lectern from where a speaker addressed the gathering.

Gandhi had wanted the 84th AICC Plenary to be a 'Workers' Plenary' with the focus away from the Congress President as had been the past tradition.

Earlier, Gandhi hoisted the party tricolour in the precincts of the venue in the presence of senior leaders including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Motilal Vora, P Chidambaram, Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah, Amarinder Singh, Lalthanhawla and V Narayanasamy.

The Plenary began by adopting a condolence resolution remembering the departed leaders of the party including former Karnataka chief ministers S Bangarappa and Dharam Singh, senior leaders Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, Murli Deora, Makahan Lal Fotedar among others.