AICC chief imparts unity lessons to Cong leaders

AICC President Rahul Gandhi in two-and-a-half hour meeting with the local Congress leaders of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, at Circuit House in Mangaluru on Wednesday, has exhorted the lessons on unity. He has reportedly directed the leaders to solve the differences of opinion that might crop up during the assembly election at the local level itself.

After taking part in 'Janashirvada Yatra' in the coastal districts on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi stayed at the Circuit House in Mangaluru. He held meetings with the Block Congress presidents, DCC presidents and office-bearers, ministers and MLAs from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi and other selected leaders on the preparations for the upcoming assembly elections.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal and AICC Secretary P C Vishnunath, among others.

Leaders who were present in the meeting said, "Rahul Gandhi directly interacted with the Block Congress presidents and collected information on the formation of booth-level committees and preparations for the upcoming assembly elections and also collected information on the problems at the block level in organising the party."

Rahul Gandhi directed the district leaders to ensure that no differences of opinion crop up, in the backdrop of a large number of ticket aspirants, ahead of assembly polls. All the differences of opinion should be sorted out immediately.

He has also directed the leaders to convince the rebel leaders on providing suitable positions in the party in the coming days.

Congress leaders who were present at the meeting said that the AICC President had collected information on the local issues that might have an impact on the upcoming assembly elections. He has also directed the leaders to reach out the people on the welfare programmes of the Congress-led state government and chalk out different tactics for election campaign in each block.

The local leaders were happy that he had interacted with them directly. Majority of the Block Congress presidents termed it as a 'historic moment'. All the leaders have clicked photographs with AICC President Rahul Gandhi separately.